


Green and Grey

by CrowJane



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Slow Build, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-27
Updated: 2019-03-06
Packaged: 2019-03-24 19:59:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 45,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13818387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrowJane/pseuds/CrowJane
Summary: Ignis-centric, Slightly AU story, but keeping most of the events of the game.Preparations for Noctis and Lunafreya’s engagement ball leave Ignis even busier than normal. He finds help from a grey-eyed girl, but neither of them expected the night of the ball to change the lives of everyone in Insomnia.Will add more tags and possibly change rating as the story progresses. This story is slow to start, and is probably too fluffy. I’ve started adding spice to balance it out starting in ch. 17.Sexy times chapters are marked with ***stars*** in the chapter titles and are not necessarily important to the plot, so you can skip to them or skip over them if you so desire.





	1. "Sometimes things don’t go as planned, Iggy."

“Aw yeah,” Noctis said, rubbing his hands together. “Here it comes!”

Their server placed dishes on the table before them, reading off the orders with a bit too much enthusiasm. 

“Croque madame! Green curry soup! Paella de pollo! And the Carp of the Diem!” She ignored Prompto’s snicker and hovered just long enough to inquire about their party needing anything else before disappearing into the back of the diner. 

“I can’t believe you ordered that,” Prompto said, reaching across the table to poke Gladio’s fish sashimi. 

The dark haired man snorted. “Lean protein is the perfect lunch before an afternoon workout. Besides, it’s a great name. How could I not?”

Ignis picked up his fork but paused to watch Noctis pick the leafy greens from his egg and toast dish and set them aside. “Please tell me this isn’t your breakfast,” he said.

“Why not?” the prince responded blandly. “It’s still early.”

“It’s 11:47. Nearly noon.”

Noctis pointed his fork across the table at his advisor. “Still morning though.”

With a barely stifled sigh, Ignis scooped a bite of rice and examined it. “I realize you enjoy sleeping in, Noct, but with so much to do before the ball, I feel we need to make use of every hour.”

Noctis winced and dropped his fork on his plate with a clatter. “I was hoping that having lunch away from the Citadel would give us a break from that subject.”

Prompto and Gladiolus exchanged an uncomfortable glance that spoke of guilt and apology, but both continued to eat without speaking. Ignis, however, folded his hands and plunged ahead. 

“Your physical location does not change the fact that there is a very important event coming up. An event, if I may remind you, that is intended to honor you and your bride.”

“An arranged marriage honors my father and the kingdom, not me,” Noctis grumbled. 

His advisor leaned forward. “Are you not a part of your kingdom? Are you not a part of your father’s legacy?”

The prince turned his eyes to his lap for several long seconds, looking fairly unhappy. Prompto shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Taking advantage of the silence, Ignis took a bite of his meal and quickly decided that he much preferred seafood paella than this chicken dish. However, he nearly choked on the rice when Gladiolus made another comment. 

“I don’t see what your so negative about. Lady Lunafreya is pretty hot.”

The other three men turned to their friend in shock at his audacity. Noctis’ mouth had fallen open, and Prompto actually sputtered. 

Gladio sat back and folded his arms across his broad chest and regarded his friends with a smirk. “I’m just saying, if you only can sleep with one woman for the rest of your life...”

“Gladio!” Prompto nearly cried. “How could you… Really dude?… I mean yeah, she totally is but that’s just disresp-“

“Alright!” Ignus interrupted, his voice slightly raised. “Let’s change the subject, shall we?”

Prompto blushed furiously, Gladio chuckled, and the prince looked like he wanted to disappear underneath the table. 

The royal advisor continued. “There was something that came up at this morning’s meeting that I found to be rather curious. It seems that the security detail at the upcoming ball has been changed to the Kingsglaive rather than the Crown’s Guard. Is there some reason for the switch?”

Noctis took a long pull at his water and shook his head. “Yeah, I don’t know. That’s something Captain Drautos has been pushing for. I overheard a conversation he had with my father. He said that since we’re inviting representatives from Niflheim, it would make sense to have soldiers there who are trained to fight them if something goes wrong.”

“I thought you said they probably wouldn’t show?” Prompto interjected through a mouthful of food. 

“Probably not,” Noctis replied. “But I guess it doesn’t hurt to be careful.”

Gladio shrugged. “I don’t like it. The Kingsglaive are used to fighting in an open battlefield, not inside, in a crowded engagement party.”

“Engagement ball,” Ignis corrected. 

“Still. I think the Crowns Guard is a better fit, myself. We’re used to guarding the royal family. That’s our job.”

“I dunno,” the prince replied with a shrug. “I guess the captain convinced my father otherwise.”

His sunny smile faltering, Prompto, glanced at the other faces around the table. “Yeah but… we’re not really worried, right? Even Nifs wouldn’t actually crash an engagement party, right?”

“ _Engagement ball_. And they wouldn’t exactly be crashing. We did invite a few dignitaries. Welcoming them to such an event can only strengthen the new peace treaty. And, as Noct said, there’s nothing wrong with being cautious.” Ignis folded his napkin and pushed himself from the booth. 

Gladio swirled his glass of root beer. “Heading back to work already?” 

“Actually, I’m going to grab a coffee and then pay a visit to the royal tailor. I discovered a small hole in my favorite coat last time I wore it and-“

Noctis cut him off with a snap of his fingers. “That’s what I was supposed to tell you! He’s sick.”

Behind his glasses, Ignis’ green eyes blinked. “I beg your pardon?”

“Yeah, the old man’s got a nasty bug or something. He’ll probably be out for the next week or so.” Noctis didn’t look concerned as he spoke, but his advisor’s expression fell. 

“But we only have two weeks before the ball!” he exclaimed, his usual cool demeanor cracking. “I hadn’t planned to have to shop around for another tailor.”

The prince shrugged again. “Sometimes things don’t go as planned, Iggy.”

“Well,” Ignis said with a snort, glancing at his watch. “It’s a good thing we did have lunch in the city today. It seems I have an errand to run.”

“Before or after that coffee?” Gladio called after him, but Ignis was already exiting the diner.


	2. "You seem like the type."

Ignis frowned at the red painted door before him. This was the correct address; he had checked his note over twice to be sure. It just didn’t look like what he would have expected of a reputable tailor’s shop. The slightly garish paint on the door was peeling, and the windows didn’t look like they had been cleaned in weeks, or longer. The only indication that the space was some sort of business was a small “open” sign that hung slightly crooked on the doorknob. 

He took a sip his coffee, replaying the brief conversation he had just had with the barista. Unsure of where to start in his quest for a new suit, he had mentioned his predicament to the girl behind the counter, and she had sworn that the tailor at this shop had created an amazing dress for her spring dance. But the prince’s advisor now wondered at the rave review. If this person couldn’t take the time to clean their own windows, how could they be bothered with the intricacies of a needle and thread?

Still… his list of options was short, and his deadline was fast approaching. With a grimace, he pushed open the door and stepped inside. 

The sound of music was the first thing that he noticed. Nothing loud or overly obnoxious, like the bands Prompto liked, rather a lilting melody filled the air. The atmosphere was also permitted by the faint smell of something ancient. Perhaps not moldy or dusty, but rich and crisp. Old books, Ignis realized quickly. Several bookshelves crowded the little entryway, each with shelves bending under the weight of many aged tomes with yellowed pages and leather wrapped covers. Once again, he doubted that he had come to the right address. This seemed more like a bookstore than a tailor’s shop. 

But there was no one around to ask about his possible error. Besides the bookshelves, the entry room was empty. No person to greet him, no bell to ring, no sign in sheet or chairs in which he could sit and wait. 

Curiosity teased his mind, slowly beginning to drive away the annoyance he had felt since lunch. Feeling somewhat like an intruder, Ignis took a few slow, quiet steps forward, noticing an open doorway that lead to his left. It was that direction, he realized, from which the music was coming. Just a few of his long strides brought him to the doorway, where he drew to a sudden halt in surprise. 

The room beyond wasn’t overly wide, but its ceiling was quite high, with walls stretching up to the second floor of the building. Lining the walls were rows upon rows of shelves that were clearly designed more for purpose than aesthetics. Material of every pattern and color sat folded on most of the shelves, dotted with boxes labeled “buttons” or “ribbon” and the like. There were a few pillows, and even a quilt that spilled over from a shelf to the one beneath it. Several mirrors of various sizes encircled much of the lower part of the room, but their mismatched arrangement made the shop look more like an antique store than a fitting room. Ignis’ green eyes were drawn to a very tall ladder that leaned against the far wall. A ladder that was creaking slightly as a figure near the top swayed in time to the music. 

A girl was perched there, blissfully ignorant to how unreliable the ladder beneath her appeared. Her hips moved back and forth with the song, as did her long, honey-colored ponytail. She was fingering through a stack of material, pulling folded cloth from the middle of the pile before examining it, pushing it back in, walking her fingers up the pile, and repeating the process. At one point, she pulled a piece of cloth out completely and tossed it over her shoulder before continuing to search the pile. Her expression was focused and peaceful, caught up in her task. 

Ignis, on the other hand, was feeling a bit of anxiety both from the disorganization of the place and the unsafe way in which the girl was working. He opened his mouth to speak but hesitated, concerned that he would startle her into jumping, which could either make her fall or the rickety ladder to give out. Instead, he chose to quietly clear his throat. 

Her head snapped around in surprise, but to his great relief, she didn’t falter on her perch. Instead, she smiled brightly and called out a greeting before quickly making her way down the ladder. The girl, or rather, the young woman, Ignis corrected himself as he got a better look at her form, crossed the room quickly and extended her hand. 

“I’m Lyndel,” she said simply, but warmly as she clasped his hand and shook it. “What can I do for you?”

Taking a half second to size her up, Ignis couldn’t help but notice that there wasn’t much “size” to her at all. She was much smaller than him in height, the top of her head coming to just under his shoulders. Her build was slim, but fit, from what he could judge by the gentle tone of her arms. A slight dusting of freckles highlighted her cheekbones and stood out against otherwise fair skin, and several strands of that golden-blond hair had come free of her ponytail and framed her face. Her eyes were pewter grey, like the color of a storm cloud just before it rains.

With a short nod, he brought himself out of his observations and gave her hand a shake in return. “Ignis,” he said, following her lead of leaving the last name from their introductions. “I take it you’re the tailor?”

“Mhm,” Lyndel replied, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “Nothing gets by you, does it?”

A short chuckle escaped him. “I suppose that was an unnecessary question.”

She shrugged and folded her arms, but the smile still played on her lips. “Am I supposed to respond to that one too? Or would you like to tell me what brings you in today?”

“Ah, yes, actually,” Ignis replied slowly, the seriousness of his visit returning to his mind. “I’m in a bit of a bind. I’ve recently found a hole in the coat of my best suit, and I have an event coming up in a few week’s time.”

The girl’s smile dropped quickly into a frown. “Ouch. That’s soon. Can the hole be repaired? Is it on a seam or…” 

She trailed off as Ignis shook his head sadly. “I’m afraid not. Perhaps just a new coat would suffice?” he asked, hopefully.

“Better not. Even if I had the same fabric as the original,” she gestured to the overstuffed shelves above, “it’ll never match the pants the way it once did. With cleaning and fading, the material changes over time.”

Ignis adjusted his glasses and sighed, the feelings of worry and dread beginning to wash over him again. “I’ll need something completely new then. Can it be done in time?”

“It can,” Lyndel said slowly, grey eyes carefully watching his face. “A big rush job like this won’t be cheap though.”

He waved his hand. “That won’t be an issue.”

Her expression brightened immediately. “Excellent! Let’s get started then!”

————-

“Come on over to the center of the room so we have some space,” Lyndel said as she moved to grab a nearby notepad. She tried to keep her demeanor cool and professional, but in her mind, she was all kinds of giddy. Business hadn’t exactly been booming the past few weeks, and a big job where the price tag wasn’t a restriction was exactly what she needed to make rent. And it certainly didn’t hurt that the client was incredibly attractive. 

She took a few seconds to observe the man as he stood, back to her, looking up at the shelving that lined the walls. He was a tall drink of water, that was for sure, all long lines and angels. His perfectly styled, sandy colored hair and classical facial features were a nice contrast to his modern looking glasses. Lyn ’s inner artist was becoming excited at the prospect of creating something to compliment this Ignis’ already good looks. 

“So,” she began, stretching out the measuring tape that had been hanging around her neck, “what sort of event did you say this was?”

Ignis turned his head to watch her as she moved around towards his front. “It’s a ball,” he replied simply. 

“Okay, so details help,” Lyn replied with an encouraging nod. “Just how fancy are we talking?” 

The man paused for the briefest of seconds, as if debating how to answer. “It will be at the Citadel,” he replied finally. “So, very formal.”

“Got it, okay. Just relax your arms at your sides,” she said, approaching him with the tape. But as she reached to bring the tape up to his shoulder, news of recent events suddenly popped into her mind. 

“Oh wait! Is this Prince Noctis’ engagement ball?”

Ignis’ serious expression didn’t change. “It is indeed.”

It was becoming more and more difficult to keep her excitement in check. The idea of one of her creations being at a ball with so many important people wearing designer suits and gowns made her want to laugh with joy. Lyndel took a breath to steady herself and resumed her measurement of the man’s shoulders. “Nice,” she breathed, hoping to sound as cool and collected as her customer. “How’d you score that invite?”

She noticed a muscle in his jaw twitch. “I work in the Citadel, actually,” he responded, his words somewhat clipped. 

Lyn draped the tape loosely from his shoulder, using her other hand to guide it down his arm, mentally noting the numbers as she spoke. “So you’re in where all the action is then, huh? What do you do there?”

“It’s really nothing special,” Ignis replied. She felt the muscles in his forearm tense and glanced upward, noticing that his green eyes were carefully focused on a spot on the wall behind her. Her own eyes narrowed and she took a step backward to write his measurements in her notebook. 

“You don’t want to say,” she accused, a playful grin beginning to tug at the corners of her mouth. “Now I’m really curious. What are you, like a spy or something? Secret agent? Kingsglaive intelligence? You seem like the type.” 

That made him chuckle, and Ignis finally moved his eyes to meet hers. “I seem like the type? What, pray tell, does that mean?”

“You know, like in the movies,” Lyndel replied, a hand moving to her hip. “Sophisticated accent, handsome, an affinity for fancy clothes… and I can definitely picture you sipping on a martini.”

His cheeks colored a bit, which Lyn found to be surprisingly cute. “No,” Ignis replied through a smile of his own, “I’m certainly not a spy.”

She resumed her work, instructing him to lift his hands so she could loop the tape around his waist. Her teasing didn’t stop, however. “Well what then? Oh gods, you’re not a tax collector, are you?”

Again he favored her with a laugh when he saw her fearful expression. “No no, nothing like that.” There was another pause, and Lyn felt him shift his weight from one foot to another before she pulled away. 

“I’m just an advisor,” he finally admitted. “I help with strategy and… that sort of thing.”

She raised her eyebrows. “You’re not just telling me that because you’d have to kill me if I found out you’re a spy?”

“I suppose you’ll never know,” Ignis replied with a sly smile that made her laugh. 

“Here, duck for me so I can reach you,” Lyn said, looping the tape around his lowered head to measure his neck. “Do you like your job?”

He blinked at the question and briefly met her eyes before answering. “Most of the time, yes. Any position has its frustrations, I suppose. But I do find mine to be quite rewarding.”

The girl nodded and moved to his side before dropping to her knees and running the tape along the outside of his leg, then the inside. “No wonder you’re so tall,” she commented, partially trying to disperse the awkwardness of measuring a man’s inseam. “You're all legs.”

Returning to her feet, Lyndel wrote the last few measurements in her notebook and clapped her hands. “All set there! What are you thinking for color and style? Any ideas?”

Ignis visibly relaxed upon hearing the measuring process was over. “I would prefer all black. Nothing exotic as far as style goes. I don’t prefer to stand out.”

All black? Nothing that stands out? Boring. It was like being asked to paint an elaborate picture and then being told it would hang in a closet. But Lyndel simply nodded and handed him her notebook. “Write down your number. I’ll get to work right away then, and give you a call in a few days for a fitting.”

“Very well.” Ignis complied and handed the notebook back. He began to head towards the entry way but hesitated, turning back towards her. “A question, if I may?”

Lyndel waited expectantly as he pushed his glasses up his nose before speaking. “Usually when I mention that I work at the Citadel, the conversation turns to the royal family. I’m bombarded by questions about what the king and the prince are like. Why didn’t you ask anything like that?”

She blinked, taken aback by his words, and the direct nature of his question made her heart do a somersault in her chest. Smiles and teasing and flirting were all fun and safely noncommittal. Actually saying the truth of the matter felt much more risky, especially when she hadn’t realized it until he had asked.. 

When she replied, Lyndel did so slowly, holding his gaze, though she could feel her cheeks begin to warm at the admission. “I guess I’m less interested in who you work for and more interested in you,” she said simply. 

The ghost of a smile played at his lips, and without another word he was gone.


	3. A familiar black bird

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There’s probably too much going on in this chapter, but oh well. 
> 
> No Lyn in this chapter, but we do have a crow. Crows make everything better.

The voice over his phone was sharp, and Ignis could almost see the sneer on the lips of the person on the other end. “Look, Scientia, I’d much rather be drinking and dancing with the rest of you. But my orders are to be on security detail, so that’s what I’ll be doing.”

Ignis took a breath to steady himself before responding. “I understand that, and I’m not trying to argue with you about it. But I would like to-“

“Well it certainly sounds like you’re trying to argue.”

Ignis’ free hand curled into a fist at his side. “I would just like to know the number of soldiers we can expect and where everyone will be positioned,” he replied, doing his best to keep the angry waver from his voice. 

“You and everyone else.”

“I realize that preparing for a formal event may not be your favorite activity, however, I need to plan around-“ Ignis snapped his mouth shut as the line went dead. 

The prince’s advisor stood for several long seconds at the large window of his office, doing his best to collect himself. Up until this point, his run-ins with Nyx Ulric had been few and far between, usually only seeing the man at ceremonies and the occasional cross over training session between Crown’s Guard and Kingsglaive. Their limited contact had been enough, however, for both men to conclude that they didn’t much care for each other. Ignis saw Nyx as an arrogant hothead who only played by the rules when it suited him. Nyx had called Ignis a “stuck up tight ass” on more than one occasion. 

When he had discovered that this particular Glaive was one of the men planning the ball’s security detail, Ignis had been less than thrilled. And it didn’t sound much like Nyx was looking forward to working with him, either. 

Once his angry heartbeat had begun to slow, Ignis turned away from the window and moved to his desk. He decided to give Nyx until the end of the day to forward the plans to him before submitting a written request to both him and Captain Drautos. Seating himself in his high-backed office chair, the royal advisor felt a wave of relief wash over him. The familiarity of his sleek, black desk beneath his hands, the minimalist but accommodating office surrounding him, the bright daylight spilling in through large windows, the modern but comfortable pair of couches and glass coffee table for meetings and the rare afternoon break… his office was a safe haven where he could be alone and get things done without distraction or interference. 

Even with a royal engagement ball to plan, the day to day events of Insomnia didn’t ever stop, so Ignis set himself to work. There was a stack of papers in the corner of his desk detailing casualties of one of the daemon attacks outside the city that seemed to be becoming more and more frequent. His email contained an unsolicited report from a foreign ambassador suggesting Altissia as a possible honeymoon location for Noctis and Lunafreya. There was also an estimate for repairs on the prince’s car which were a bit higher than he had anticipated (as Noctis tended to be rough on his vehicle). One by one, Ignis went through the tasks of the day, feeling a comfortable sense accomplishment with each tick off his list. 

He barely glanced up as one of his many administrative assistants brought a stack of mail into the office and set it on a nearby shelf, as she did like clockwork every day before noon. Today, however, she paused in her steps and waited for his attention. Feeling somewhat put out at the interruption, Ignis paused the email he was writing and glanced at her over the top of his glasses. 

“So sorry to bother you, sir, but I thought this piece of mail deserved your immediate attention,” the girl said meekly. She placed an envelope on his desk and took a quick step back, nervously fiddling with the ring on her finger. Ignis stifled a sigh and gave her a nod in return, effectively excusing her from his office.

After the door closed behind her, he glanced at the envelope in question with some annoyance. He recognized the stationary; it was a reservation card for the ball. Why should that warrant his time when he had instructed his assistants to manage the guest list? 

Long fingers removed the card from its envelope and his eyes widened. Scrawled across the paper was a handwritten note in violet ink from none other than Ardyn Iszunia, Chancellor of Niflheim, saying that he would be “delighted” to attend. 

Ignis immediately reached for his phone and redialed Nyx Ulric’s number when a sudden and loud tap on his window made him nearly jump from his chair. He swiveled quickly to see a familiar black bird standing on the ledge just outside, eyeing him expectantly. 

Despite himself, the advisor felt his shoulders relax and a small smile form on his lips. “I was wondering when you would return,” he said as he rose to his feet. Ignis hit “send” on his phone and crossed his office to open the window as it rang. Unsurprisingly after their previous conversation, Nyx didn’t answer. Tapping out a text message to Gladio with one hand and pushing the window open with the other, Ignis watched the dark crow hop inside onto the back of one of the couches without hesitation. 

He watched the bird make its way around the office as he absently turned the RSVP card over in his hands. The intelligent creature always wanted to inspect the room before settling down, and Ignis had learned not to rush its routine. It was giving an investigative peck to one of the decorative bookends on a shelf when there was a knock at the door and Gladio strode inside. 

“I was just downstairs, so I thought I’d just come up instead of call,” the larger man said. He threw a glance at the bird, and the crow’s inky black eyes seemed to size the newcomer up as well. “New pet?”

Ignis ignored the question and simply held the card out to his companion. Gladio took it and settled into one of the couches with something of a flop. Stretching one arm over the back of the couch and spreading his long legs, Ignis was once again struck by the way the physically powerful man seemed to fill the entire room when his presence. 

Seconds ticked by slowly as Gladio’s brown eyes ran over the writing once, twice, before tossing it onto the coffee table and looking back up at his friend. “Is this for real?”

“As real as the words of any Niflheim officer, I suppose,” Ignis replied with a shrug. “Whether to believe those words or not is another question.”

The dark haired man grunted. “I’d rather not take the chance that he’s telling the truth. Did you tell Nyx? He should probably up the number of men he’s stationing around. Or maybe some of the Crown’s Guard should help out.”

Ignis shot his friend a look. “I’ll be certain to tell him when he decides to speak to me again.”

“Great.” Gladio rubbed his forehead and leaned his head over the back of the couch. “So why would the Chancellor decide to grace us with his presence?”

“I was wondering the same,” the advisor said slowly. “The most obvious answer is the same reason we bothered inviting Niflheim officials in the first place.”

“To solidify the peace treaty?”

Ignis nodded. “That would be the best case scenario. Unfortunately, it is unlikely a man of his station would travel alone and unguarded, so we will have to expect him to have his own Magitek soldiers, or something of the sort.”

Gladio’s eyes snapped to meet those of his friend. “A bunch of soldiers used to fighting each other in a giant room packed with civilians and nobility? This sounds like a powder keg.”

“Indeed.”

The prince’s shield rose to his feet and shook his head. “Well, I don’t like it. I’m going to suggest that a few of the Crown’s Guard attend the ball, even if it’s officially off duty. And I’ll talk to Nyx for you.”

Ignis sighed. “That would be most appreciated. We can give the news to Noct and the king at our meeting tonight. You’ll be there?”

Gladio rumbled in agreement. “Yeah, see you later.” He exited the office as quickly as he had entered, leaving the advisor alone with his thoughts once again.

Well, almost alone. The crow took it upon himself to hop onto the coffee table and look at Ignis quizzically. “Your timing is impeccable, my friend,” Ignis said to the bird. “No pun intended.”

The bird cocked his head, waiting patiently. “Very well,” Ignis muttered as he began to move across the room. 

It had been just over two months ago that the black bird had first arrived on his office window. Its insistent tapping on the glass was a mild curiosity at first, but quickly became an annoyance as Ignis had tried to ignore it. He had finally opened the window to shoo the creature away, but it had casually hopped inside and onto his desk. It was then that the advisor noticed a small, white piece of paper tied to its leg. 

The note had been an introduction of sorts, if one can introduce one’s self and remain anonymous. It had stated that the sender believed Ignis would be a sufficient contender in a game of chess. It claimed the white pieces and left instructions for the sender’s opening move. Ignis had initially brushed the note off as a silly waste of time at best and a practical joke at worst. But when the crow simply refused to leave his office over the span of several hours (and had annoyingly decided to make toys of everything from his pens to his paperweight), he finally took a break from his work, left to buy a chess set, and set it up on an end table in the corner of his office. Since then, he and the mysterious sender had been scribbling their moves to each other back and forth, with the crow showing up every four or five days for an update. 

As it was, Ignis already had his next move in mind. He moved one of his knights to square E6 in an effort to block his opponents bishop from getting too close to the rest of his pieces. After scrolling the update on a small square of paper and tying it to the crow’s leg, the bird was off without hesitation or fanfare. 

And the prince’s adviser was left behind to wonder and worry about too many things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it proper to add every character to the list of tags? I thought about adding Nyx but if I added every character I plan to have it this story, the tags list will be crazy long. Let me know if I’m doing that wrong!


	4. "Anything less can hardly be considered coffee."

Lyndel leaned back in her chair and chewed on the end of her pen while the line rang once. Twice. Twice? He seemed like the type to answer right away, didn’t he? She should hang up. But then he would see her number and that would be weird. She couldn’t hang up. Maybe it would go to voicemail? If so, should she leave a message? Did people even check their messages ever? She didn’t. But he looked like the type who would. Maybe calling was too intense. Maybe she should just hang up and send a text. Maybe…

“Scientia here.”

“Oh!” Lyn quickly sat up, as if the man on the other end of the phone could somehow see her informal posture. “Oh hey, it’s me!… Um, I mean, it’s your seamstress!”

She winced at her own words. Why couldn't she just be cool, for once in her life? 

“Yes, Lyndel.” His voice sounded even more rich and elegant than she remembered. Oh gods, how she wished she could see his expression. Was he laughing at her? Annoyed that she disturbed him in the middle of a work day? Indifferent? She had never hated the ambiguity of a phone call more than at that moment. 

She tapped her pen against her forehead in an effort to stay focused. A conversation with a client really should not be this awkward. 

——

 

Ignis glanced at his phone to make sure the line was still connected. Upon seeing that it was, his brow furrowed. What was she taking so long to say? Was there bad news about his suit? A thousand things could go wrong with a rushed order. Perhaps she was looking for the right words to tell him that she wouldn’t be able to complete it after all. A knot began to form in his stomach. 

Her voice in his ear snapped him out of such worrisome thoughts, and actually sounded much lighter and friendlier than he was dreading. “So I was thinking… I know you said you wanted to go all black, but I just found some really nice silk that would do well for a tie.”

There was another pause, and Ignis found his curiosity piqued. “Go on,” he urged. 

“Well, it is mostly black, but it has this really lovely green floral pattern woven into it,” came Lyndel’s voice. “I mean, not floral in a feminine way. Maybe floral isn't the right word. It’s more like… I don’t know. Botanical? It has some leaves and vines. Anyway, it’s very nice, and I thought the green would match your eyes really well.”

There was silence again, as he fought to process her words. But despite how he rolled them over in his mind, the only thing on which Ignis could concentrate was that she had actually remembered the color of his eyes. 

“I’m ready for your first fitting, so you can stop by whatever day you’re free, and I can show it to you then.” She was rambling again, which he was quickly realizing seemed to be a habit whenever Lyndel seemed unsure of herself. “Or we can forget it. I mean, you said all black, so if that’s what you want we can just do that.”

He found himself rushing to stop her. “No, that won’t be necessary. I think the green sounds like a nice touch. Let’s do it.”

——

“Great!” Lyn exclaimed, perhaps too enthusiastically. “And can we plan that fitting for tomorrow or the next day or…?”

“Tomorrow afternoon should be fine,” he replied evenly. 

“Great!” She smacked the palm of her hand against her forehead. _Stop saying “great”_. After an “I’ll see you then” and a goodbye from each party, Lyn hit the red button on her phone to end the call and immediately slumped forward over her knees. If that conversation could have been any more embarrassing, she would have found a way to make it so. By the gods, she sounded like an absolute moron, a giddy school girl who was trying to talk to her first crush. It was a wonder he was even trusting her with such a big project, let alone taking her suggestions about it. 

The buzzing of her phone interrupted her thoughts, and Lyndel slowly raised her head to look at the caller ID, fully prepared to cancel the call, as she wasn’t in much of a mood to speak to anyone. But when the number showed up as Ignis (she must remember to put his last name into her phone now that she knew it), her jaw dropped. 

“Oh, please don’t let him be canceling the order,” she breathed. Lyndel rose to her feel and physically shook herself before answering the phone. 

“Hello again,” came his voice over the line, even as always. “I just had a thought. It’s expected that most guests bring a date to this ball, and I didn’t even consider asking anyone until just now.”

Lyn’s heart stopped. “Oh?” was all she could manage to squeak. 

Ignis plunged ahead. “What I mean to ask is, would you be willing to accompany me?” 

She let out a breath that she hadn’t realized she was holding, and a grin began to spread across her face. “Sure! I mean, yes, I would love to.”

“Wonderful. We’ll go over the details tomorrow then?”

“Sure thing. I’ll see you then,” Lyn replied, nodding furiously even though he wouldn’t be able to see it. When the call ended, she bit her lip and stared at the phone for some time before jumping up and down with excitement (twice), and then telling herself she really should get back to work. 

——-

Only four days had passed since last he visited the tailor’s shop, but in Ignis’ mind, it seemed to be much longer. The flurry of activity before the ball had nearly doubled his workload, forcing him to work late into the night and begin again early in the morning. It wasn’t something he particularly minded, as his job gave him a satisfactory sense of purpose. He would, however, be very grateful when the ball was comfortably in the past. 

Much like his last visit, he had arrived with coffee in hand, though this time he brought an extra cup for Lyndel. Pushing the door open with his shoulder, he noted that she still hadn’t cleaned the windows, and that her work space was still little more than organized chaos. Again, music cascaded in from the back room.

What had changed, however, was his reason for trepidation about visiting the shop. Before, he had been anxious that his suit wouldn’t be finished in time with any sort of quality. Today, he realized he had to face the woman he had asked to be his date to the largest royal event of the year. A woman he was meeting for only the second time. 

He paused in the entry way again to take a deep, steady breath before rounding the corner into the workroom. There, he saw Lyndel bent over her desk, a needle with its trailing thread gripped between her teeth, running her fingers along an emerald green ribbon. As before, she was so engrossed with her work, that he was able to sit back and watch her for several seconds without her even noticing he was there. 

Her wavy hair was tied up in a somewhat messy bun today, though golden strands hung down around her face while she leaned forward. Those grey eyes of hers were focused and intense, making him wonder what puzzle her mind was working through. After a moment, her eyes shifted to a weathered book that lay open on her desk before going back to the fabric before her. 

Despite their painfully obvious differences in work environments, Ignis found her dedication to her craft relatable, and even a bit endearing. 

“I hate to interrupt,” he finally said. His clear voice cut through the air, and a part of him regretted disturbing the scene before him. Still, he had another appointment in only two hours, so it wouldn’t do to stand around and watch this girl all afternoon. 

Lyndel’s attention shifted to the doorway where he stood and she immediately grinned when she recognized him. She moved to her feet and crossed the room to meet him, glancing down at the two cups of coffee in his hands. “Please tell me one of those is for me.”

“The girl behind the counter told me your usual order,” Ignis replied, handing her a cup. He withheld his opinion that her usual coffee was overly sweet. 

She took a sip and closed her eyes in delight. “Oh, you are my hero. I needed this.” Lyndel glanced at his cup and cocked her head to the side. “What are you drinking?”

“Ebony.”

“Straight?” She made a face, scrunching her nose. “That stuff is so bitter!”

Ignis smirked to himself. “Yes it is. It’s also rich and bold. Anything less can hardly be considered coffee.”

She shrugged and set her cup aside. “I guess we will have to agree to disagree on that one,” she said, reaching for a stack of folded, black material. “Would you mind putting that sludge down long enough to try these on?” 

“Certainly.” He took the pile and eyed it, his fingers gently stroking the smooth fabric. “All this in only four days?”

She folded her arms and smiled up at him, and he could see the pride she took in her creation shining through her expression. “It's only a start. I haven’t lined or finished anything properly. Now, go on. The dressing room is right there.”

Once dressed in shirt and pants, Ignis emerged from the fitting room and Lyndel busied herself much as she had on his last visit. The tape measure reappeared and she hummed to herself while she pinched some material that was too loose or pinned some that was too long. Again, he found himself appreciative of the devoted attention she was giving to her craft. It was something to which he could relate. 

Kneeling at his feet, Lyndel set to work at making the hem line on his trousers with chalk. Ignis turned his eyes to roam the rest of the room, as her position suddenly reminded him of too many intimate situations and he began to grow uncomfortable. His gaze fell on the book that lay open on her desk, the one that she had been studying when he came in. Again, he remembered the bookshelves in the entrance that made the place look like anything but a tailor’s shop. His inquisitive nature flared, and he couldn’t help but press her about it. 

“Are you a collector of antique books?” he asked. 

Lyndel glanced up from her work, removing a pin from between her teeth before she spoke. “Oh, it’s just a hobby, really. You know the stories of Solheim?”

“The First Civilization, yes.”

“Well, you know they had all this amazing technology and architecture. But what kind of gets passed over a lot is that they also made this really beautiful fabric.”

Intrigued, Ignis looked down to meet her eyes. “I have never heard that.”

Lyndel shrugged. “Yeah, most people haven’t. But there’s actually a lot of folklore about it, and some archeological evidence that supports it. They had these beautiful patterns on their clothes that supposedly were as intricate and vibrant as the forests and oceans. They decorated the walls of their buildings with tapestries made with thread that could outshine the lamps in their hallways. Their methods were lost when the civilization fell.”

She rose to her feet and dusted off her hands before reaching for a coat on a nearby hook. “Anyway, I used to study it a lot. Now it’s just for fun. Here.”

He let her help him into the coat, musing her words over in his mind. “Used to study… You were a scholar then?”

“Oh no,” Lyndel replied with a laugh. “Not even close. I mean, I went to college for about a year and a half, but dropped out pretty quickly. This shop was my grandma’s, and when she passed, I quit school and took it over. I definitely do better as a hands on learner than a student in a lecture hall. But I like imagining what the people of Solheim would have created, and it’s a lot of fun to try to put what little information we do have into practice. Even if I am completely unsuccessful. Every book in the lobby has some clues about what their clothes or art might have looked like or was made of.”

She moved back around towards his front, hands running over his the unfinished lapel to smooth out any wrinkles. Her hands brushed over his chest and torso as she eyed her work, and Ignis found himself relishing the feeling of her palms against his chest. She glanced upward, meeting his eyes, and they both were suddenly and awkwardly aware of the very small distance between their bodies, and the intense way he was watching her. Her cheeks turned pink, and he felt heat rise to his face as well, and both looked away. 

“Well,” Lyndel began after clearing her throat. “I guess I have a little more work to do.”

“I’ll go ahead and get changed then,” Ignis hastily replied, shrugging out of the coat and handing it back to her. 

When he emerged from the fitting room in his normal clothes, Lyndel had already begun to tuck in the ends of the coat sleeves. “At it already?” he asked with a slight chuckle. 

She smiled and nodded with enthusiasm. “I have a deadline to meet,” she teased. “And I have to make something for myself now, too.”

Oh, right, Ignis realized. She also had to have something to wear for the ball. “I do hope it won’t be too much trouble,” he said, feeling a bit guilty for piling two projects on her in such a short time period.

“Honestly, this is fun for me,” Lyndel replied. “And… I’m really looking forward to it.”

He couldn’t help but return her smile. “As am I.”


	5. “Is it too much?”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Almost there! We’re almost to the party!

The days leading up to Noctis’ engagement ball were a whirl of endless tasks for Ignis. The man was used to being busy; in fact, it granted him a sense of purpose to have his days filled with tasks that only he could accomplish. But the closer the ball, the more his “to-do” list seemed to grow exponentially. Every hour was strategically planned out with priorities of what to be accomplished and when, but no matter the progress, more and more seemed to be heaped onto his plate until even the unflappable Ignis Sciencia was, well, flapped. 

He had visited Lyndel’s shop once more to pick up his suit, only three days before the ball. She had seemed her merry self, though she did mention that he seemed distracted, and it hadn’t helped that Ignis had been on the phone for half of the visit, including most of the final fitting. It wasn’t until the evening of the ball that he put on his finished suit and realized the time and detail that she had put into it. 

She had said that the fabric was wool, but it didn’t feel heavy or itchy as a wool sweater might. The weave of the material was perfect, giving it a smooth, matte look without a garish shine. The fit was impeccable; it showed off his lean body well without being too tight. Ignis felt a stab of guilt as he regarded himself in the mirror. Lyndel had given so much attention to his attire, while he had hardly paid her the time of day on his last visit, and hadn’t so much as called in the past few days. With a slight twist of his stomach, he realized he should have at least called to confirm the time he was to pick her up. Not much to do about it the day of, he supposed, though he did send her a quick text to let her know he was on his way. 

Ignis had heard the comment that he was a “workaholic” more than once, as he regularly put in long hours at his job. There were a few times that he had even slept over in his office, either accidentally falling asleep at his desk or purposefully deciding that there wasn't enough time between a late night and an early morning to justify going home. But when he had asked Lyndel where to pick her up the night of the ball, he had been surprised at her answer. Apparently, her apartment was just above the tailor shop where she worked, giving Ignis a new respect for her dedication to her craft. . 

But it felt especially odd to park in front of the tiny shop in the Regalia that Noct had let him borrow for the evening, wearing a suit that was fine enough for a king but was tailored for himself. He hesitated at the front door… Ignis had always simply walked in before, but with every other visit he had been a man conducting business in a store, not a man picking up a girl for a date. The crooked sign on the door was turned to say “closed”, so he chose to knock instead of barging in. 

Laughter floated down from the window above, and Ignis glanced upward to see a light shining from what he assumed was her apartment. Lyndel’s now-familiar voice told him to come inside, and Ignis did as he was instructed. 

“I’ll just be a minute,” she called from upstairs as he stood awkwardly in the entryway. “Make yourself at home.”

Ignis sighed to himself and glanced around. There was no place to sit, unless he moved to her desk and chair, which were in the next room. But suddenly, even walking through her business/home seemed like an intrusion. 

What was he even doing here? Ignis leaned back on his heels and stared at the ceiling. (A ceiling that had the obvious stain of water damage. How had he not noticed that before? There could very well be mold!). It’s not like he even knew this girl. Alright, so she was attractive… very much so, if he was being honest with himself. But he had only even seen her a handful of times in the last few weeks, and it had always been on business, and if he was really going to have a first date with someone it certainly shouldn’t be to a prince’s engagement ball, where she would meet all of his friends let alone Prince Noctis and he had never even told her-

“Okay! I’m ready!” 

Lost in his own anxious thoughts, Ignis hadn’t even noticed that Lyndel had come downstairs. He pryed his eyes from the ceiling above, turned to face her, and froze.

“By the gods,” he whispered.

Her grey eyes went wide. “Oh no. What’s wrong?”

Ignis’ gaze raked down, then up her body, then down again. The girl was clad in a gown of green with black trim. A-line and floor length, it looked incredibly regal by the shape alone. But, as a tailor should, Lyndel obviously knew how to accentuate her best features. A wide, v-shaped neckline gave a hint of cleavage and continued upward to an almost off-the-shoulders cut. The gleaming black ribbon that edged the dress’ fabric stood out next to Lyndel’s fair skin. It highlighted the dress while clearly making a definition between material and hidden flesh, which pulled at Ignis’ feral curiosity. The gown hugged her slim waist before flaring out, making her seem even more petite and curvaceous. And, what he realized was the most stunning feature of all, she had left her hair down. It cascaded behind her in long, golden waves, falling to the small of her back. 

All in all, Lyndel looked amazingly elegant, and incredibly sexy all at once. 

Ignis suddenly realized that his jaw had gone slack, and he brought his eyes up to meet hers. “You’re beautiful,” he said, finally finding his voice.

Lyndel turned a shade of pink and turned her eyes down to her feet. She squeaked out a “thank you” before turning her own critical eye to his attire. “I had to do my best to be seen next to you in that amazing suit,” she said with a grin. 

“Yes,” he replied slowly, tearing his eyes from the girl to glance down at himself. “This really is something. I can’t thank you enough for…” His voice trailed off as he noticed that his tie was the exact shade of green as her dress. “Hm. You seem to have thought of everything,” he finished.

Ignis brought his eyes up again to meet hers, and noticed a look of anxiety crossing Lyndel’s pretty features. “Is it too much?” She asked, her voice unusually quiet. 

Now, there was a question. He had just wondered if it was “too much” for him to be taking a girl he hardly knew to the prince’s ball. And now, a girl he had never seen outside of the building in which they stood, was wearing a gown custom made to match his own clothing. Was it all too much, too fast? 

His reasoning mind told him it was. Of course it was. There were so many complications and factors besides his simple attraction to this girl. His job, his status, his duty and commitment to the crown always had been in the way in his previous relationships. 

Yet, when he looked at her, Ignis had a difficult time focusing all of those logical reasons why he shouldn’t be bothering with this girl. As alluring as Lyndel was, it wasn’t her physical charm that held his interest as much as the way she could hold an intellectual conversation with him without being intimidated. It was the way she appreciated the art of hard work and dedication. It was the way he felt his breath catch in his throat when something he said made her smile. It was the way _she_ made _him_ smile. 

For once in his life, Ignis pushed rational thoughts aside and found himself reaching for Lyndel’s hand. “No, it’s not too much,” he replied, watching that bright grin begin to cross her features again. “It’s all very perfect.”

Her small hand was warm in his, and Ignis let his thumb caress her skin as he held it. For a moment, he had a sense of fleeting regret that they were leaving the shop, and he would have to share her attention with everyone else at the ball, including the king, the prince, and his bride. Still, it was his duty to be there, and she had seemed to be looking forward to the ball. 

“Shall we then?” he asked, somewhat reluctantly. 

They exited, and Ignis waited patiently for Lyndel to lock the door to the shop. As she did so, a gentle “caw” drew his attention upward. Ignis’s sharp gaze found a lone crow sitting on the telephone line above. His eyes narrowed in thought. There was no way of knowing if that was the same animal that visited his office, but something about it troubled his intuition. 

The crow tilted it’s shining, black head to watch him open the passenger door for his date before taking flight, and disappearing behind the city skyline.


	6. Doomed.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ignis is in trouble, and heavy conversation for a first date. Let’s get past the drama so we can get to the party and finally move the plot forward a bit, shall we? 
> 
> Almost time for some action. Almost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! The next chapter is mostly written though, so it shouldn’t take long to update.

Lyndel was giddy. There was no other word for it. She sat in a luxury car as it pulled up to the Citadel, the palace, the heart of the kingdom, for Prince Noctis and the Oracle’s engagement ball. Everyone who was anyone was going to be at this event. Royalty, nobility, millionaires, celebrities… _everyone._ She and her date were dressed in her own creations, designed and sewn by herself, about to be alongside formalwear by every big name in the business. And Ignis, her date, was not only polite and handsome, but someone Lyn really found herself liking. A lot. 

This was already an unbelievable evening, and they were just getting started. 

The car pulled up the the very entrance of the Citadel’s main building, and a valet rushed to open her door. She stood, waiting somewhat patiently, as Ignis also exited the car and handed over his keys. She heard a muttered “Yes, Mr. Sciencia,” from the valet before Ignis took her arm with a charming smile. 

Approaching the Citadel was an intimidating experience, and Lyndel was infinitely glad that she had a strong arm to lean on. The building was massive and dark, stretching to unfathomable heights in the air. Guards, while admittedly looking more ceremonial than dangerous, lined the carpeted path up the steps and to the entrance. Lyn felt herself tremble as she surveyed the long walk up the stairs, suddenly feeling incredibly out of place in such a grand and powerful setting. 

The pair approached the line of guards, and while she did her best not to make eye contact with any of them, Lyndel couldn’t help but notice a few of the guards stand up a bit straighter as them approached. She pursed her lips in thought. It seemed strange; she wasn’t anyone if status that would make them stand at attention. 

Finally, the long walk to the entrance was over, and yet another set of guards stood at the door to the building. One of them gave Ignis a nod as they moved inside. “Enjoy your evening, Mr. Sciencia,” the guard offered as they moved past.

Lyndel glanced over her shoulder as they continued, watching the still form of the guard as they passed, then turned to look up at Ignis. She bit her lip in uncertainty, but when they rounded a corner into an empty hallway, she drew to a sudden halt. 

Her date spun to face her, mild concern etched on his handsome features. “Is something the matter?”

She studied his face, debating on how best to breach the subject until the words finally just tumbled out. “How does everyone know your name?”

‘Oh,” he replied with a shrug. “If I may remind you, I do work here.”

Lyndel’s eyes narrowed. He was still dancing around the answer, just like he did the first time he visited her shop. “I remember that. I also remember you saying your job was ‘nothing special’. A small ‘not special’ gig does not cause every guard in the place to stand up straight and call you ‘Mr. Scientia, sir’.”

Ignis opened his mouth to speak, but quickly snapped it shut when another couple turned the corner behind them. He waited for them to pass, their excited laughter echoing down the hall. “Come,” Ignis finally said. “Let’s discuss this someplace a little more private.”

He placed a hand on her arm, but Lyndel didn’t move, eyeing him suspiciously. She was getting angrier by the second as it became more and more apparent that he was hiding something from her. But his gentle green eyes pleaded with her from behind his glasses, and finally she relented, following him through a side door and outside onto a secluded balcony. 

The night air had a chill, but wasn’t altogether unpleasant, and Lyn was warm enough from her rising emotions. Had this been any other moment, she would have been dazzled by the view of the city lights that to stretched on for miles in every direction. Instead, she turned her back to the sight and kept her attention on Ignis.

The man pushed his glasses up on his nose and his frown deepened. “You must understand that I am usually not one for ambiguity,” he began, but Lyndel cut him off with a wave of her hand. 

“Then get to the point,” she said firmly. “Ignis, who are you?”

His shoulders sagged a bit, and he admitted defeat. “If you wish me to put it bluntly, I am the personal advisor to Prince Noctis.”

Lyndel pursed her lips, considering his words. “The personal adviser to Prince Noctis…” she repeated, still unsure of whether to believe him. 

“I have been since I was a child. It is my duty to assist him with all matters having to do with both the state and his personal life.”

“The personal advisor. Like the only one?” Lyn asked. 

Ignis nodded in response. 

She continued to roll the idea over in her mind, desperately trying to process information that seemed so unreal. “So… you advise him about everything?”

“Everything. All matters financial, policy, dietary, educational, social… really, everything.”

“You and the prince are pretty close then.”

“Yes, we have been for most of our lives.”

Her eyes widened with sudden realization. “Am I going to meet him tonight?”

Ignis winced. “Almost certainly.”

Lyndel threw her hands in the air in frustration. “Astrals, Ignis! You don’t think I could have used a little heads up on that one? I just thought I’d be rubbing elbows with nobility, not giving them hugs!” 

“I would recommend against hugging upon meeting the prince.”

“Well, you would know,” Lyndel replied with a snort. “Giving advice is your job, right?” 

He opened his mouth to reply, but seemed to think better of it. Instead, Ignis turned toward the balcony and gazed out at the city for several long seconds. Lyn eyed his back, hands clenched at her sides. She should have known better. She had been so sure that tonight would be just perfect. Fancy party, nice clothes, a few drinks, a guy on whom she had developed quite a crush. 

But to find out he hadn’t been completely honest with her about his own job… that was infuriating, to say the least. It was only their first real date. This was supposed to be all butterflies in the stomach, shy smiles and a sweet kiss on her doorstep at the end. Deceit was a pretty bold warning sign that she should run for the hills. 

Lyndel sighed and shook her head, suddenly feeling more disappointed and defeated than anything else. She took a few steps forward to join Ignis at the balcony’s railing. Behind his glasses, his emerald eyes rose to watch her as she took in the view of moonlit Insomnia. 

“I should probably call a cab and head out,” she finally said. Ignis remained silent, still watching her as she refused to meet his gaze. 

After several long seconds he finally did speak. “It’s a funny thing,” his voice quiet in the the silence of the night. “I’ve worked for the royal family since I was a boy. I have seen this view almost every night of my life. But I never noticed how incredibly beautiful it was until I saw you standing before it.”

Lyn blinked and turned, finally meeting his eyes. Those gorgeous green eyes that suddenly looked so full of sorrow. 

“I have always been too busy to have many serious relationships. The few times I have tried, my position as one who is close to the prince has always been the cause of its failure.” Ignis shook his head softly. “I should have been honest with you from the beginning, but for once in my life, I had thought I had found someone who was truly interested in me, rather than in my work.” 

He closed the distance between them and reached for her hand. Lyndel let him take it, feeling his long fingers gently wrap around hers. 

“I am sorry for my deception, Lyndel,” Ignis continued, his eyes never leaving hers. “I was selfishly trying to preserve what little we had before my position destroyed it.”

Her heart was getting squishy. Lyn could feel it. The way her name sounded on his tongue, they way those beautiful eyes were pleading with her, the way his fingers were ever so slightly stroking hers… her brain was screaming rational thoughts and her heart just didn’t seem to hear them as long as she was lost in his eyes.

Pulling herself out of Ignis’ grasp, Lyndel ran both hands through her hair and forced herself to break their stare. Instead, she paced the balcony, trying her best to appear as if she wasn’t gulping up the cool night air in an attempt to clear her head.

“Work keeps me busy too. I haven’t had a real relationship since I took over the shop. Even my friends all complain about how little time I have to spend with them,” she muttered, halfway realizing she was beginning to ramble. “Neither of us has time, so we’re probably doomed from the beginning. Maybe this is just stupid and we shouldn’t even try. I mean, it’s our first date and we’re already having major issues! Ignis, maybe-“

She made the mistake of looking back at him when she spoke his name and her voice trailed off. He was watching her intently, hands in his pockets and shoulders slightly slumped. An ugly frown marred his handsome face and his eyes showed much more sadness than they should. 

“Please… don’t leave.” Ignis said.

The simple request was the final straw, and Lyndel knew she was done for before he even plead his case.

His eyes wandered back toward the city, as if searching the night sky for a reason why he should ask her to stay. “Maybe this is foolish. Maybe it doesn’t make sense to even try. Rationalizing and analysis is what I do, and I can’t see any result for us but mutual heartbreak if we try to have any sort of a relationship. Time, duty, and other people will all interfere.”

He steped forward and reached for her again, and this time Lyn found herself also grasping for his hand. “I realize we hardly know each other, but there’s something about you, Lyndel, that makes me feel… hopeful. Despite all reasoning to the contrary, I want to try.” 

Green and grey eyes locked together again, and Lyn found that she couldn’t say “no”. In fact, she found that she didn’t want to. “Maybe…” she began slowly, “maybe if we both know this isn’t going to work out, we will appreciate our time together even more.”

He nodded quickly. “I have found that I already do.”

Lyndel smiled, and Ignis seeing the surrender in her expression let out a sigh of relief. “I promise you, no more deception,” he said earnestly.

She bit her lip and grinned up at him. “Promise me an amazing night.”

“Of course. Anything you wish.”

“And a goodnight kiss at the end.” 

Ignis smirked. ”I’ll make sure of it,” he promised.


	7. Elegant and sophisitcated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something light before we get into the action.

“You shoulda at least told me.” Gladio was nearly growling out his words, arms folded across his chest. 

Prompto shifted his weight and leaned back, holding his hands up in front of him. “You would have just said no, so we didn’t bother,” he replied, his voice betraying a quiver of fear that his smiling face hid. As he spoke, his eyes were darting around the crowd as if looking for an escape route, and it wasn’t long until he found one. “Besides, it’s not like we… Hold on. Does Iggy have a date?!”

Gladio spun, following his friend’s pointing hand to the entrance of the ballroom. It was Ignis who entered, that was obvious. No one else ever stood with such perfectly straight posture, even at a formal event. But his arm was indeed looped with that of a girl, one who was standing so close to his body that they nearly brushed sides as they walked. She was short, but had a bright smile, a dress that accentuated her nice figure, and long hair that flowed behind her as they walked. 

“Would ya look at that?” Gladio huffed. “Their clothes even match.”

Prompto waved his arms in the air, looking anything but dignified, and caught their attention. “Do we talk about it or try not to embarrass him?” he asked Gladio as the couple made their way across the floor to them. 

“Oh, no question. We embarrass the hell out of him,” Gladio replied. 

——

“Just remember not to put too much stock in anything that they say,” Ignis was explaining, his smooth voice humming in her ear. 

Lyndel grinned in response, eyes fixed on the pair of men that they were approaching. “Are you sure these are your friends? It doesn’t sound like you want me to talk to them at all.”

“As tempting as it is to keep you all to myself this evening,” he replied, flashing her a devilish grin, “I fear they would only hunt us down anyway.”

Feeling her cheeks flush, Lyn fought to compose herself as they took the final few steps toward the others. Ignis was dignified, poised, and had perfect manners. If she was going to impress his friends, especially at a royal ball, _especially_ since she now knew her date’s high station, she was going to try to be just as elegant and sophisticated. 

The dark haired man spoke first, and all of Lyndel’s thoughts of refinement immediately fell to the ground and shattered into a million pieces. “Yo, Iggy! Where’d you find this one?”

The shorter blonde at his side folded his arms, giving Lyndel an appraising look. “Yeah, I’m not sure you’re going to be able to keep up your no-fun image with a cute girl at your side.”

Ignis groaned and shot her an “I told you so” glance. “And here I expected to at least attempt introductions before you showed yourself to be a couple of neanderthals,” he said dryly. 

The bigger man laughed and clapped Ignis on the back, reaching out to shake his hand. “C’mon. I thought you knew us better than that.” He turned towards Lyndel, hand outstretched, and she found herself following the length of that arm all the way up to his wide grin. 

She had thought Ignis was tall, but this man towered over everyone else in the room. His hair was long and wild, despite the formality of the event. If he had come with a coat and tie, they had already been discarded, as he wore only a black button up shirt (with the top two buttons undone), black pants, and matte dress shoes that still managed to look a little rugged. When she took his hand, Lyndel noted the callouses and strength in his fingers alone. Everything about his screamed of masculinity, from his thick neck to his dark beard. This was not a man to be reckoned with, that much was obvious, but his face was handsome even with that wicked looking scar trailing down one side, his amber eyes were wide and friendly, and his grin was playful.

He brought her hand to his lips in a surprisingly gentle kiss before going back to beaming at her. “Gladiolus Amicitia,” he said. “And I’m kinda bummed Iggy got to you first.”

Lyndel laughed and shook her head. “Lyndel Farren,” she said, introducing herself. 

Ignis cleared his throat and glared at his friend. “Despite his overly assertive demeanor, Gladio has been a longtime friend. He is also the prince’s Shield, his personal bodyguard.”

“I see. Why aren’t you with the prince now then?” Lyn asked. 

Gladio huffed a laugh and gestured over his shoulder. “We probably should start calling him ‘princess’ instead. He's still getting ready. But I figured he didn’t need me to help zip up his dress, so I beat him to the party.”

The shorter man interrupted by nearly stepping in front of Gladio to reach for her hand. Clean shaven with freckles dotting his sun-kissed skin gave this one a much more youthful appearance, accentuated by his innocent looking blue eyes and modern hairstyle. He was much smaller in stature and with a lean, wiry form. But he absolutely exuded energy, and it occurred to Lyndel that he hadn’t stopped moving in some way or another since they had spotted each other across the room. His clothing was a simple black suit with sky blue a button up shirt and a plain black bow tie that was not properly tightened around his neck. 

“I’m Prompto,” he said with enthusiasm as he took her hand in both of his and shook it with vigor. “It’s really nice to meet you.” 

"Prompto Argentum doesn’t work here like the rest of us,” Ignis explained, “but he is probably Prince Noctis’ best friend.”

The blonde blushed slightly and waved Ignis off. “Eh, someone has to keep Noct from moping around all the time.” 

That made the other men laugh, and Lyndel glanced from one to the next. She suddenly realized she was the only woman in the circle. It was probably too forward to ask, but the words were falling from her mouth before she thought better of them. “Did the two of you not bring dates?”

Gladio huffed and gestured to the room around them. “Are you kidding?” he asked with a mischievous grin. “Every noblewoman in Insomnia is here, dressed to the nines. I’m not going to ruin my chances of picking one up by having a girl hanging on my arm.” 

His eyes snapped back to Ignis and Lyndel. “Uh… no offense to present company.”

In a display of affection that surprised her, Ignis wrapped his arm protectively around her waist and pulled her a bit closer to himself. “I suppose we just have different priorities,” he said dismissively. 

Lyndel felt her cheeks grow warm, but couldn’t keep the smile from her lips. 

“Yeah, I guess so,” Gladio replied. His gaze turned to Prompto and his expression soured. “At least you’re not like somebody who-“

“I’m gonna go get a drink,” the blonde suddenly exclaimed. “Does anyone want anything?”

He swiveled to leave but was stopped when the larger man’s hand fell onto his shoulder. “Somebody who decided to bring his friend’s _little sister_ to the ball.”

“Uh, I would hate to be that guy!” Prompto said, his blue eyes turning up toward the ceiling, refusing to make eye contact with any of them. 

“Oh no,” Ignis nearly moaned. “Prompto, you didn’t.”

The blond man ran his hand through his hair and his shoulders slumped. “Come on, don’t be that way! You know I didn’t mean anything by it!”

Lyn’s eyes shifted from Prompto to Gladio and back, trying to mentally catch up to what they were saying. “He’s dating your little sister?”

“It’s not a date!” Prompto cried loudly, making a couple standing nearby jump. “Iris kept saying how curious she was about the ball and how she wanted to see all the dresses and decorations and stuff, so I thought it would be nice to make her my ‘plus one’.”

Gladio snorted. “There are definitely Bro Code rules against dating your buddy’s sister.”

“I’m not dating her!” Prompto waved his hands in the air in exasperation. “As soon as we got here, she ran off to go talk with some other friends! We’re not even hanging out!”

“Alright,” Ignis’ cool voice cut through the argument. “Gladio, we all know that hatching an elaborate plot to date Iris is far beyond Prompto’s capabilities.”

The shorter man winced, but didn’t argue. 

“Now, about that drink,” Ignis continued, looking down at Lyndel with questioning eyes. She nodded with enthusiasm, and he moved away to find one of the servers who were milling about the ballroom. She watched him go for probably a few seconds too long, admiring the graceful way he moved through the crowd. When she turned back to the others, she found two pairs of eyes focused on her.

Lyndel suddenly felt like a chickatrice being stalked by a pair of coeurl. Prompto’s expression was one of eager curiosity, but Gladio’s look was scrutinizing and intense. He folded his arms across his big chest and sat back on his hips, and made no effort to hide the way he was looking her over. 

“How long have you and Iggy been together?” he asked, his deep voice sounding more than a little accusatory. 

Squaring her shoulders, Lyndel met his amber eyes and did her best not to shrink from his gaze. “I’ve only known him for about two weeks. But we really haven’t gone out at all until tonight,” she explained, trying to sound casual. 

The men exchanged a glance. “Two weeks?” Prompto repeated, disbelief echoing in his voice. 

Lyndel nodded, lacing her fingers together nervously behind her back. 

“Wow,” Gladio breathed. “So… Specs doesn’t bring girls around. Ever.”

Prompto jumped in, nodding quickly. “Yeah, he was dating the last girl for almost two _months _before he even told us her name, let alone let us meet her.”__

__The gravity of their words made her heart begin to pound. On one hand, she felt flattered and special that Ignis had been willing to introduce her to the important people in his life so quickly. On the other, it made the night seem much, much more important. For some reason, he had trusted her in a way that he didn’t with women in the past._ _

__All Lyn could manage to say in response was a quiet “Oh.”_ _

__Gladio continued, his eyes never leaving her own. “He’s had a lot of girls try to use his station as a way to get in with the kingdom’s elites. He gives his all to anything he believes in, whether its a relationship or his job or Prince Noctis. But a few women in the past have tried to date him just until they get introduced to some noble born rich guy. So I hope you can understand why we would feel kind of protective.”_ _

__Ignis’ words from earlier floated through her mind and it made Lyndel’s heart start to sink, but it was replaced by a sudden heat rising up inside of her. Sure, these were Ignis’ friends and sure, they were probably justified in questioning her motives. But they didn’t know her in the slightest. Their questions were speculative at best and accusatory at worst, and Lyndel couldn’t help but take offense._ _

__“Well, that’s just ridiculous,” she blurted out before she thought through the words any further. “First of all, I've also dated some people in the past who weren’t exactly Mr. Right. There are liars and cheaters and users of every gender and every class. Sure, I can imagine that being of a higher station probably attracts more shady people, but I didn’t go chasing after Ignis knowing who he was to the prince. I didn’t even know his exact position until very recently.”_ _

__She took a breath to steady herself, glancing from one man to the next. “Look, Ignis and I are still getting to know each other. But from what I can tell, any woman who used him to get to someone else was a complete fool. He’s incredibly smart, very kind, and handsome to boot. I’m not going to make the mistake of passing up what seems to be the perfect guy for someone else who has a noble title.”_ _

__Prompto’s serious expression broke into a wide grin, and Gladio finally relaxed and put a hand on her shoulder. “Well he’s not perfect,” he said with a wink. “He’s not me.”_ _

__Relieved to be free of their inquisition, Lyn sighed and shook her head. “I understand that you’re good friends to Ignis, and you’re just looking out for him,” she said. “You have my word that I don’t want to use him or hurt him.”_ _

__“Speaking of…” Prompto said with a nod towards the crowd behind her. Lyndel turned to see her date approaching with four flutes of champagne held lightly in his long fingers._ _

__“Here we are,” he said, handing her one of the glasses before passing out the other two. “What did I miss?”_ _

__Lyndel glanced at his friends, but they had returned to their relaxed posture, giving no indication that a serious conversation had just taken place. She bit her lip before turning back to Ignis with a smile._ _

__“Well, I learned another one of your nicknames, _Specs._ ”_ _

__He rolled his eyes, but a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he took a drink of champagne_ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had way too much fun stealing quotes from Duscae for this.


	8. We all have to come together before we break apart

Ignis’ friends were easy to get along with, at least after the initial interrogation, and Lyndel found herself naturally falling into conversation with them. They didn’t have much time to get to know each other, however, as a herald soon announced the entrance of the royal family to the ball. 

Anticipation welled up in Lyn’s throat as she turned her attention to the grand staircase that led into the ballroom. King Regis entered first, his very appearance causing everyone in the room to bend their knees in reverence. Lyndel followed the lead of those surrounding her, dipping into a curtsey (which she would admit to no one that she had been practicing for a week leading up to the event). The entire experience was somewhat surreal, being in presence of royalty, seeing such patriotism from others in the room, lifting her eyes to see the ruler of her homeland, followed by the crown prince and his bride-to-be. Being in Ignis’ small circle magnified everything; these men who were brilliant, dynamic and powerful in their own right had quickly stilled their conversation and paid their respect to their king and his son. 

King Regis spoke, his voice deep and patent, echoing into the silent crowd. “My allies, associates… my friends. I am so pleased to be surrounded by so many celebrating a most important event in the life of my son.”

Lyndel’s eyes shifted to the young couple that graced the entryway just behind to king. Prince Noctis was as dark as night, and his expression doubly so. His clothing was elegant, a black on black three piece suit. Dark hair crowned his head, a few stray strands falling down his forehead. Piercing blue eyes peered out at the crowd, intense but unmoving. 

The prince was stoic, almost painfully so. His expression was one of fixed indifference, as if trying to prove the the scores of guests that he was not altogether uncomfortable standing up before them. 

His arm was stiffly linked with that of Lady Lunafreya, who appeared to be his polar opposite in every way. She was clad in a floor-length white gown with silver accents that seemed to illuminate everything around her. Platinum blonde hair was perfectly tied up in a sophisticated twist, dotted with silvery jewels. Her eyes were also blue, but they were set in an expression that conveyed gentle peace. Lunafreya’s lips were relaxed into a comfortable smile as she surveyed those below her, making eye contact with a few before moving on. As if she was reassuring people that she saw them. 

Noctis was like a black hole, and Lunafreya a glowing star. 

“My son has never been one for long speeches,” King Regis was saying as Lyndel drew her attention back to him, “so I won’t take any more time. Thank you all for joining us on such a momentous night.”

With that, the king waved his hands at the band, which resumed its music, and all three figures made their way down the stairs to the ballroom. 

“Well, they certainly make an attractive couple,” Prompto said.

Gladio snorted. “Even if not the happiest. What’s with Noct, anyway?”

Ignis pushed his glasses up the brim of his nose. “Still brooding over the idea that the events of his life are being decided for him, I assume. His majesty did his best to ensure Noct’s youth was full of freedom and choices, but now he’s having to reel him back in.”

Lyn felt a stab of pity for the prince. Her own freedom and independence was something she had always valued. Noctis’ destiny was tied to that of his kingdom, and there wasn’t anything he could do about it.

“Lady Lunafreya didn’t seem so uncomfortable, though,” she noted aloud.

“She and the prince were childhood friends,” Ignis replied with a nod. “And as the Oracle, service to the people has always been her duty. Perhaps she’s just had more time to grow accustomed to her purpose.”

Prompto suddenly stood up straighter. “Yeah, let’s not ask them about it tonight, though. Looks like they’re coming this way.”

Their small circle opened as the four guests turned to receive their prince and his bride. Lyn couldn’t help but note the relief that visibly crossed over Noctis’ face as they drew closer. 

“We have to make the rounds and say hi to everyone,” he said as he and Lunafreya joined them. “Might as well start here.”

It was smiles and handshakes as the prince introduced Lunafreya to the rest of them, and for a short moment, Lyn nearly forgot that this man was royalty. Instead, he seemed like a boy just chatting with old friends. 

“And,” Noctis said as he met Lyn’s eyes. “I… have no idea who you are.”

“Forgive me,” Ignis replied with a twinkle in his eye. Was that pride? “This is Lyndel Farren, my date.”

Noctis looked shocked. “Your _what_?”

It was all Lyndel could do to stifle a laugh, but she couldn’t keep the amused grin from her face as she lowered her eyes and bent into a curtsey. “Your highness, my lady, it’s such an honor to m-“

“Oh you can cut that out,” Noctis’ voice interrupted, and Lyn glanced back up in surprise. “I don’t like all that formal stuff. Here.”

He extended his hand, and Lyn took it and shook. “Nice to meet you, Lyndel. I can’t wait to hear why you chose to put up with Iggy for a night.”

Lyn giggled aloud at that one before turning to Lady Lunafreya. The Oracle smiled kindly, also reaching for Lyndel’s hand. “I am glad to meet you,” she said warmly. “All of you. I’ve heard so much from Noctis about his friends.”

Prompto shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “Only good things I hope?” He squeaked.

“As if there’s anything bad he could say about us,” Gladio replied. 

Prompto snickered, and suddenly his eyes lit up. “Oh oh!” he cried, pulling a camera from his pocket. “Lemme get this shot! Everyone get together!”

The small group complied, squeezing in tightly with Noctis and Lunafreya in the middle. It was slightly odd to stand so closely to so many people she just met, but Lyndel found she didn’t mind pressing up against Ignis’ side and feeling his arm wrap around her. 

“Everybody say ‘engagement party!’” Prompto said as he clicked the shutter button. 

The others did, except for Ignis, who very firmly said “engagement _ball_.”

The prince and the Oracle probably stayed with their group of friends for longer than they should have. Many other guests cast looks towards their circle, perhaps wondering at the special treatment or looking for a chance to interrupt. But it was a natural and pleasant place to be, even for Lyndel, who had felt like a bit of an outsider. All four old friends made an effort to include herself and Lunafreya in their conversation, and Lyn found herself fitting in easily, as if she had known them for much longer. 

Iris, Gladio’s younger sister, eventually bounded in. She wore a stylish mid-length dress of black and crimson that accentuated her youthful looks. Lyn couldn’t help but notice the way Prompto shifted uncomfortably and avoided Gladio’s eyes when she appeared, but the larger man’s anger seemed to have subsided. 

The younger Amicitia’s excitement was obvious as she introduced herself to Lyndel and Lady Lunafreya. She had thousands of questions for the Oracle, and it occurred to Lyn that the girl was more than a little star struck. When Lunafreya eventually mentioned that she should leave their group to greet the recently arrived Secretary Camelia Claustra, Iris immediately asked if she could tag along. 

“I would love to spend more time in your company,” Lunafreya said graciously, her smile painted with mild amusement. “Would you like to come too, Lyndel?”

Surprised and somewhat flattered to be included, Lyn opened her mouth to accept, but Ignis interjected instead. 

“Actually, I was just about to ask Lyndel for a dance.”

Lyn blinked. “You were?” she stammered. “But… I don’t know how.” 

“Of course you do,” Ignis replied dismissively. “You were dancing the first time I saw you.”

Furrowing her brow, Lyn desperately tried to remember what in Eos he could be talking about. Finally, Ignis continued. “On the ladder in your shop. You were swaying to the music.”

“That? That wasn’t dancing. That was just… moving.” 

Her date smiled that handsome, charming smile and his green eyes twinkled behind his glasses. He extended his hand in her direction. “Very well. Then come _move_ with me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Arrrrrrgh I hate this chapter so much and I’m sorry. It’s mostly filler, but I had to get Noct and Luna in there somehow. And it’s definitely not my best writing but I’m just so over it. 
> 
> The next chapter should be coming quickly, as I am REALLY excited to write it.


	9. “I suppose this is a happy event”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One more sweet moment for our couple before everything unravels.

Despite feeling extremely nervous and more than a little flustered, Lyndel took a leap of faith and too Ignis’ hand. He led her to the dance floor of the ballroom, where other couples were already swirling gracefully to the music. Again, she turned anxious eyes to her date. 

“Just… go slow, okay?”

Ignis’ right arm snaked around her waist, pulling her closer and turning her to face him. “All you have to do is follow me,” he said. 

She copied his first few steps, feeling stiff and awkward, but Ignis nodded encouragingly. “There now. Just repeat that again.” 

He coached her through a few more steps before Lyn risked glancing up from her feet. When their eyes met, she saw a smirk of amusement crossing his features. 

“What’s so funny?” she asked, feeling a flash of annoyance. 

“I do believe you’re trembling, darling. You’re doing fine. Just relax.”

Lyndel felt her eyebrow quirk upward. “Nothing gets by you, does it?”

“It’s my duty to be perceptive,” Ignis replied, his eyes traveling back to where Prince Noctis was talking with Gladio and Prompto. It was a only brief moment of distraction, but Lyndel didn’t miss the way his brows furrowed together and a frown tugged at his lips, even just for a fraction of a second. When he turned his attention back to her, Ignis’ expression had faded, but Lyn wasn’t one to let things go. 

She shook her hair behind her shoulders and glanced up at her date, watching his eyes carefully. “You’re not the only one who is perceptive. What’s bothering you?”

“It’s… Noct,” Ignis began, slowly. “He should be showing that he’s united with Lady Lunafreya. Not letting her wander off alone while he chats with his friends.”

Lyndel laughed. “Is that all? No couple is together all the time,” she replied. 

When Ignis caught her eye, he was frowning again. “But at their own engagement ball? When all of the nobility of Insomnia is so carefully watching them?” 

“Hm.” As Ignis lead her into a turn, Lyndel glanced around again and immediately noticed that the royal advisor was right. Several other guests, both men and women, were looking from the prince to the Oracle and back again. 

“You might be right,” she said, reluctantly. “But they’re young and have a lot piled up on them right now. Let them do what they want. It’s their party, after all…” 

Her voice trailed off as she noticed something else about the guests that surrounded the dance floor. An uncomfortable amount of them were also looking at _her_. Feeling her cheeks grow hot, Lyndel turned back to Ignis and looked back down at her feet, suddenly feeling a strong desire to disappear completely. 

Ignis noticed immediately and bent to catch her eye. “Here now,” he said, his voiced laced with concern. “What’s the matter?” 

“There are people staring at me,” she nearly squeaked, her voice quiet. 

When Ignis laughed in response, Lyndel’s mouth fell open and she stared at him. “I couldn’t expect you to understand,” she shot, her voice laced with anger. “You were raised here. You fit in. I stick out like a sore thumb. Everyone else knows each other. Everyone else can dance. They’re all wearing designer gowns and their hair and makeup are perfect. Oh gods, I should have put my hair up. I’m the only one who-”

“That’s quite enough.” Ignis’ voice also had an edge to it, and his green eyes had hardened behind his glasses. “I will hear nothing of the sort. Of course people are staring at you. They’re probably wondering who you are and how they never noticed such a beautiful girl in their midst before.”

Lyndel rolled her eyes and she felt an retort rising up in her throat, but Ignis continued before she could speak. “If you look around again, you’ll notice that most of those watching you are men.”

She risked a glance to her left, then her right, and Lyn instantly noticed that Ignis was right. Several men with no women on their own arms, were watching her every move with burning eyes. Even a few with partners at their sides shot her looks, though they were more disguised. 

“I didn’t take you as the shy type,” Ignis teased. 

Lyn returned her attention to her date. “I’m not,” she admitted, trying to sort through her own emotions. The attention was shocking and uncomfortable, but slightly flattering. “This is all just… a little weird.”

He smiled in return, warm and confident, with a hint of pride gleaming in his mossy green eyes. “As I said before, you’re beautiful. And, I might add, you’re a very good dancer.”

She started at that, looking back down at their feet. While she had been distracted by the conversation, Ignis had lengthened his stride and she had followed along without realizing what was happening. Having her mind on other things had allowed her body to loosen, and she was moving more freely. Now the music was slowing, and as nervous as she had been to take to the dance floor, Lyn found herself sorry the moment was over.

“I…” she began, completely unsure of what to say. Finally, she squeezed his hands, relishing the feeling of his long fingers entwined with her own. “Thank you,” Lyndel said. “For the dance and… everything.”

Ignis’ smile broadened as he gazed deeply into her eyes. “It is my pleasure.”

\-----

Though she was loathe to leave Ignis’ side, Lyndel found herself needing to clear her head after their dance. He returned to his circle of friends, while she found her way to the restroom to splash some cool water on her face and decided to pick up another round of drinks on her way back. Choosing red wine, she was waiting patiently for the bartender to pour the glasses when a shadow passed over her. 

She turned and looked up to find a man with maroon-violet colored hair staring down at her. 

He was handsome, as were most of the guests at the ball. But there was an exotic air about the man. His clothing was loose-fitting and elaborate, with patterned shapes cut into the fabric and frilled cuffs. He managed an image balanced between rich sophistication and garish flamboyance. And his expression of secret amusement didn’t help, as if he was prepared to play a practical joke at the expense of anyone around him. 

Lyn bit her lip in uncertainty as she and the stranger regarded each other. Though he looked to be friendly, even playful, an aura of darkness seemed to surround him, and she couldn’t help the chill that was crawling up her spine. 

“Aren’t fairy tales curious things?” the stranger asked, his eyes golden eyes twinkling. 

Her lips parted, but Lyndel found she had no response to such an odd question. 

It made no matter to the stranger, however, as he continued to speak while watching her face intently. “For example, I’m sure you’ve heard the one of the peasant girl who attends a royal ball and meets a handsome prince. I wonder, how do you think that girl felt?”

Lyndel felt her cheeks grow hot again, but she squared her shoulders, refusing to flinch from the man’s gaze. She had been invited by one of Prince Noctis’ closest friends, and she had every right to be at this ball. She wasn’t about to let some high-class jerk intimidate her. “Probably very lucky,” she responded slowly. 

“Ah,” the man replied, looking pleased with her answer. “I suppose we should all feel very lucky, shouldn’t we?”

He waved his hand at the room around him, breaking eye contact to follow his gesture before returning his attention to her. “The marriage of Prince Noctis and the Oracle is the culmination of the peace treaty between Insomnia and Niflheim. We should all be grateful for peace… though it gets us nowhere.”

Narrowing her eyes, Lyn watched the stranger carefully. “The war has been taxing on both sides. I’m not sure why peace would get us nowhere.”

“Progress is moving forward, is it not? Whether positive or negative, every battle is progress.” He reached for one of the glasses of wine that Lyn had ordered, running his finger along the edge of the cup absently while he spoke. “Peace is stagnant. I do not prefer to stand still.

“But, I supposes this is a happy event, isn’t it?” the stranger said, his attention snapping back to Lyndel’s eyes. “I’m not one to stand on ceremony, but such an occasion calls for an introduction. Please, call me Ardyn. Ardyn Izunia.”

Again, a shiver traveled up Lyn’s spine at the man’s name, but she couldn’t pinpoint why. Instead, she felt a sudden and intense need to escape the situation and find her way back to the safety of her friends. She muttered an “excuse me” and began to push past him, abandoning the rest of the wine on the bar. But Lyndel didn’t get far, as Ardyn’s hand quickly seized her arm and pulled her closer to him.

“Let go of me,” Lyndel hissed, feeling herself begin to shake in the grip of his strong fingers. 

The man chuckled and leaned close to her ear, his voice lowered to sound somewhere between seductive and threatening. “Not quite yet, I’m afraid. I have a message I’d like you to pass along to your beau.”


	10. Opponent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enough with the fluff. Let's get to the drama.

“You two sure looked cozy out there,” Noct commented with a grin as Ignis approached the group. 

Ignis couldn’t help but smile back at his circle of friends. “You’re surprised?”

“Uh, yeah,” Gladio replied. “You’re not exactly one for PDA.”

Ignis shrugged, beginning to feel out of place as the center of attention and hoping that a lack of response would cause the others to leave the issue behind. No such luck, however, as Noctis continued to press him. 

“Is it true that she’s your _tailor_?” he asked. 

“What of it?” Ignis snapped back, feeling slightly offended at the implication. The prince’s eyes immediately softened in apology, even if Noct’s pride wouldn’t allow him to voice such a thing, so Ignis stifled a sigh and continued. “Yes, we met a few weeks ago when I needed a new suit for tonight. We got along right away and, well, here we are.” 

“Amazing,” Prompto breathed, shaking his head. “And I couldn’t even find a real date for tonight. Maybe you should teach a master class in romance or something.”

That made Ignis chuckle as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “I don’t know about all that, but I do have some wisdom to impart on our favorite groom.”

Noctis groaned, but Ignis pressed on. “Perhaps you shouldn’t leave Lady Lunafreya alone for long. Tonight is as much about showing your relationship to the world as it is about celebration. Imagine if the papers report that the two of you were apart all night. It could appear as though you don't even want to be wi-”

“Just a second,” Gladio interrupted, his amber eyes focused on something across the room. “Iggy, do you know that guy?”

The other three men turned to follow Gladio’s gaze to see Lyndel in conversation with a violet-haired man. Ignis racked his brain, going over the guest list and his research about who would be present, but nothing sparked any sort of recognition. “I’m afraid I don’t,” he replied slowly. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him before in my life.”

The others in their little circle also remained silent, and Ignis realized he wasn’t alone in his ignorance. Several seconds ticked by as the four watched the stranger smile and lean closer to his date. 

Gladio rumbled with something between a thoughtful “hm” and a growl. “I don’t like the way he’s leering at her,” he said, echoing Ignis’ own thoughts. 

“I’m sure everything is fine,” Ignis said, partially to reassure himself as much as his friends. “She’s a smart girl, and I trust her to handle herself.”

But echoes of their conversations throughout the night were screaming in his head. She was one of the most beautiful women at the ball, Ignis truly believed that. He and Lyndel had noticed the looks men were sending her way, and while it had previously evoked a sense of pride that he had such a desirable woman at his side, now fiery jealousy was surging through his veins. And in reality, he was just a servant. A retainer for the prince, certainly, but he wasn’t one of the many nobel born gentlemen who were present. In the past, that had presented a problem for his relationships. Lyndel’s expression, however, didn’t hold a flirtatious smile. In fact, she looked rather uneasy. He didn’t want to come across as overbearing, but perhaps he should approach the conversation and find out the exact identity of this man. 

Ignis’ thoughts were interrupted when Lyndel shook her head and began to move away from the conversation. He internally breathed a sigh of relief and felt somewhat triumphant over his friends’ concerns. “See? Everything is f-”

The stranger’s hand shot out to grab Lyndel’s arm, pulling her back towards him. Ignis was already in motion as he heard Prompto’s gasp and Gladio offering to back him up.

Unfortunately, his date and the man harassing her were all the way across the ballroom, and Ignis had to weave between many other guests to make his way to her. Trying to move quickly, feeling an overwhelming sense of urgency, he may have prodded a few others out of his way a little too roughly, but Ignis ignored their stares and comments. The only thing that mattered in that moment was getting to Lyndel. 

And then, as suddenly as he had grabbed her, the stranger released her and moved away. Ignis watched in confusion as Lyndel physically shook herself and turned to find him in the crowd. Her grey eyes were wide with what looked to be panic, and she vigorously rubbed her upper arm where the man’s grip had been. He saw her gaze move to the group of Noctis, Gladio and Prompto and slight confusion cross her features before she noticed him. Her lips parted into a gasp or a sigh, and she made a line towards him as quickly as he was moving towards her. 

They both worked through the crowd, desperate to come together with so many people in their way. In actuality, they found each other in only a few seconds, but to Ignis, it seemed a terrifying eternity. When they finally met in almost the direct center of the room, Ignis found himself holding tightly to her shoulders and smoothing her hair from her face as she leaned into his chest. He could feel her heart hammering through her skin, her dress, and his shirt, and he realized his was doing the same. 

He pulled backward, cupping Lyndel’s face with his hand and bending his knees to look into her eyes. The fear in those pewter-colored eyes of hers alarmed and infuriated him with an intensity Ignis did not expect. He waited for her to catch her breath, thumb stroking her cheek, doing his best not to make demands or shake the information of what the bloody hell had happened from her. She pressed her lips together and inhaled deeply, bracing herself physically as well as mentally.

“He… he said he had a message for you,” Lyndel began, her voice wavering. 

Ignis’ frown deepened. “Who did? Who was that man?”

She blinked. “He said his name was Ardyn Izunia.”

 _”Imperial Chancellor Izunia?”_ he repeated in disbelief. He had remembered the RSVP card, but had expected such an important figure’s entrance to be announced rather than just sneaking into the ball. Ignis straightened, craning his neck to find the violet haired man in the crowd, but only just spotted him. His figure, unmistakable in his gaudy clothing and wide, casual gait donned a fedora style hat before exiting the room without ceremony or a glance backward. 

“It sounded important,” Lyndel continued, pulling Ignis’ attention back to the girl. He nodded for her to go on, and after a shaking breath, she did so. 

“He said he has enjoyed the game and hates to see it end, but it’s time to stop playing by the rules. He’s moving the black knight from square E6 to take the king.”

Ignis felt his jaw go slack as he stared at Lyndel, desperately trying to process what she was telling him. “Izunia was the one who sent the notes?” he stammered, sorting through his revelations aloud. “But the black knight was _my_ piece. What does…”

His blood went cold and his heart felt as though it dropped into his shoes. Ignis stilled. His man, his knight, to take his king. That could only mean one thing.

“Ignis,” Lyndel was saying, nearly pleading as she searched his face. “I don’t understand.”

The royal adviser straightened and turned his green eyes back to the people that surrounded them. “Go to Gladio. He’ll keep you safe. _Stay with him,_ ” he said, hoping she wouldn’t hear how his throat tightened around his words. Ignis met her eyes briefly. “Go. NOW.”

She must have trusted him enough not to ask questions, and Lyndel nodded quickly before hurrying away. He watched her small form push her way through the crowd, feeling a stab of regret to not be able to gather her up and whisk her away from this place and what would surely happen next. Instead, Ignis scanned the ballroom for the king. 

The king. King Regis stood at the far end of the room, surrounded by fawning nobles and adoring guests. He wasn’t hard to pick out; though he was bent over his cane and didn’t move to draw attention to himself, his majesty held an air of magnificent glory that seemed to paint an aura of light around him. Ignis could only just see the back of his silvery head in the crowd. 

He immediately started in the king’s direction, eyes continuing to scan the area for potential danger. If Ardyn had suggested using his own chess piece to take the king, it meant that Regis was under threat of assassination from anyone in the room. _But who?_ No one in particular looked to be suspicious. They were all laughing and carrying on without any idea what danger was about to rain down on the Citadel. 

Movement caught his eye, and Ignis noticed Captain Titus Drautos coming from his right, also making his way toward the king. The captain wore a fixed expression of silent determination, and Ignis felt a wash of relief pour over him. Drautos must have also caught wind of the plot and was putting himself into position to protect King Regis. 

The royal adviser drew to a sudden halt a split second later as his relief was followed by new realization. In an atypical move, Drautos had ordered himself and the men under his command to guard the ball. He had effectively tied the hands of the Crowns Guard, the usual royal protectors. It left Regis all but defenseless against his own Kingsglaive, the dark knights that he should have been able to trust. 

And both the king and Duartos were too far away for Ignis to reach them in time to stop the attack.

“No,” he breathed, looking wildly around for a solution, an answer, a plan… anything. His eyes settled on another Kingsglaive guard, standing nearby and looking quite bored with his situation. Ignis descended on the man, giving him a shove and ripping the radio earpiece from his head. The guard protested, but knew better than to fight back against one of the prince’s royal retainers. Again, Ignis turned his sight back to the king to find the Glaive closest to Duartos. 

Nyx Ulric. Wonderful.

Holding the communicator to his ear, Ignis all but shouted at the his intended receiver. “Ulric!”

Nyx’s brows knitted together in confusion as he looked up, his eyes immediately locking onto Ignis. 

“No time to explain,” Ignis cried. “Protect the king!” 

Their workplace differences aside, Ignis had to admit that Nyx Ulric had seemed to be one of the best and most loyal of the Kingsglaive. Upon hearing the command, the man sprang into action without hesitation, breaking into a run towards the king and shoving guests out of the way. 

Titus Duartos had a head start, but to his credit, Nyx was almost there, nearly fast enough to stop the attack. He was only a few meters behind Duartos, kukris drawn, when the captain reached his target and plunged his sword through the chest of the surprised King Regis. 

Ignis’s breath caught in his throat and his entire world seemed to lurch to a halt. All he could see was the king’s crimson blood spilling out onto the floor. 

Even halfway across the room from his friends, all he could hear was Noct screaming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was so excited to get into the action that I posted this a few days early. The next update might not be quite as quick, as it's my last day off for a little while.


	11. Escape

In retrospect, Lyndel would marvel at how the perfectly arranged, sophisticated ballroom dissolved into utter chaos. But then again, a murder tends to do that.

Though she watched the assassination of King Regis play out with her own eyes, though she heard the scream of anguish from his son just next to her, Lyn’s mind would not accept what was happening. It was unbelievable in every sense of the word. The marriage of Noctis and Lunafreya was supposed to solidify the treaty. There was supposed to be peace. They were supposed to be _safe._

She didn’t have much time to sit and figure the whole thing out, however, as panicked crowds began to dart from the room, searching for any and every way out. The terrified nobles and politicians might have well be stampeding animals, the way they shoved and stepped on each other. As if watching a man be slaughtered wasn’t enough horror. As if the Magitek troopers who were already lining up at the top of the staircase weren’t enough of a danger. 

Gladio was barking something at her, Lyndel realized, and her wide eyes turned toward the big man in an effort to comprehend exactly what he was saying. 

“Get behind me!” he shouted. Having apparently lost his patience, he grabbed Lyn by the elbow and tugged her backward, stepping between her and the troopers. He was holding a giant sword. Where had that come from? Surely she would have noticed if-

The Prince’s Shield suddenly wheeled on her and with surprising gentleness, put two fingers beneath Lyndel’s chin, tilting it upward to force her to meet his eyes. He spoke her name, and she did her best to concentrate.

“I _need_ you in the here and now. We have to support Noct,” he said, reaching up with his thumb to smear away a tear that Lyn didn’t realize had fallen into her cheek. 

“Can. you. do. that?” Gladio asked, punctuating every word. Lyndel suddenly realized that her choice was either to help or be left behind. His first priority was the prince. 

Something unknown surged within her, whether courage, adrenaline, loyalty, or survival instinct, and Lyndel found herself nodding vigorously. Without another word from the Shield, she turned toward Noctis, finding him doubled over and leaning in his knees. 

Support the prince? She could do that. 

Lyndel seized Noctis by his upper arm and jerked him upright. “Just tell me what to do,” she said, the firmness in her voice surprising even herself as she met Gladio’s amber eyes. 

Gladio nodded, satisfied for the moment, before turning back to the Magitek soldiers who were beginning their advance across the ballroom, cutting down anyone left in their path who hadn’t already fled. Prompto was at his side cradling a handgun that was poised and ready to fire. The two men were ready to protect their prince, their friend. 

But, as much as she loved Insomnia and those who protected it, Lyndel wasn’t satisfied with only caring for the safety of the last member of the ruling family. She lifted her head, trying in vain to see over the shoulders of the two men who stood between herself and the rest of the ballroom.

“Where is Ignis?” she cried, her voice desperate. As if he hadn't heard her, Gladio parted his legs and bent his knees, positioning his great sword into a battle stance. At his side, Prompto leveled his gun at the advancing line of troopers, tilting his head to take aim. 

Lyndel’s grip on the prince's arms tightened. “No, wait!! I can't see! Where is he?” The last she had seen he had been heading toward the king, toward the direction that now held an advancing line of enemies. 

“You’re in need of vision?” A silken voice interrupted her panic, and Lyn jerked her head to the left to see Ignis striding purposefully up to stand next to Gladio. His expression was one of pained determination, and his gloved fingers flexed (gloves? where did those come from?). In a brief, magical shimmer of blue light, two daggers appeared in Ignis’ hands, and he turned to join his friends against the inhuman troopers.

Her throat went dry, and a split second later, the warriors of Insomnia clashed with the Magitek soldiers of Niflheim. The noise was deafening, and Lyndel shrank back from the battle, drawing the still dazed Noctis with her. The three men held their own for what felt like several long minutes before backup arrived in the form of Kingsglaive and Citadel guards. 

“It’s alright,” she whispered to Noctis, pulling his head close. “You’re friends will protect you.” While they seemed outnumbered, three against dozens, Ignis, Gladio, and Prompto had obvious skill well beyond that of their robotic foes. Lyn brought her free hand up to the prince’s face, stroking his hair and cheek as she tried to speak words of encouragement,

Finally, Noctis spoke. His words weren’t of anger or sadness, fear or desperation. 

“Luna,” he mumbled, so muffled against her neck that Lyndel could hardly make out the word. Then, as he raised his head to search the room, his voice came out more clearly. “Where is Luna?”

It was loud enough that Ignis also heard. Slamming a dagger into the chest of the enemy with which he was currently engaged, Ignis whirled on his heels in one fluid motion and locked eyes with the prince. 

He brought a long finger to his ear, pressing on the device that rested there. “Does anyone have eyes on the Oracle?” 

There was a pause, and Gladio filled the time by slicing off the head of a soldier who was attempting to catch Ignis off guard. 

Finally, the royal adviser nodded. “She’s with Nyx Ulric,” he said, his face impassive. 

Prompto fired off a round before bringing the butt of his firearm down on the neck of another enemy. “Do we trust him?” he asked.

Gladio grunted, kicking a Niflheim trooper in the chest, knocking it backward. “I stand by Nyx,” he said, simply. “He’s a good guy. Duartos must have been working alone.” 

_We can only hope,_ ” Lyn thought, but didn’t voice her concerns. 

“We gotta get Noct outta here,” Gladio commanded. 

Noctis turned his reddened eyes towards his advisor. “Iggy, strategy?”

“Analyzing,” Ignis replied, stilling his daggers for just enough time to take in the situation. “The Regalia should be in the parking structure, in its usual place. Closest exit to it is to the left, through the kitchen.”

Prompto smirked. “That’s also the furthest place away from these troopers,” he said. “I like it.”

“Lead the way,” Gladio concurred. “Keep Noct between us.”

With a nod of understanding, Lyndel braced herself against Noctis’ arm. She guided his steps as the men around her moved, a precisely timed dance across the ballroom floor. The other three ducked and whirled, their silvery weapons shining with the reflection of Magitek electricity. It seemed ages until they made the door to the kitchen, but though their breathing was elevated, the warriors seemed to be doing fine.

“Prompto, to the front,” Ignis commanded. “See that we aren’t cut off. Gladio and I will keep the hoard from following.”

Lyn followed the blonde man, tugging the prince along, speaking words of encouragement that she wasn’t sure he even comprehended. Fortunately, the troops seemed to be at their back and it was a clear path through the confined kitchen, down a dark and echoing flight of stairs, and into the parking garage. 

She looked back to see that their pursuers had either given up the chase or been eliminated, and all five of them began sprinting through the open space. The men obviously and unsurprisingly knew their way around. They found the convertible easily enough and with the shake of his hand, Ignis made the keys appear between his fingers. Prompto hurdled the door into the shotgun seat while Ignis made his way to the driver’s side. Gladio yanked the back door open with such force that Lyndel slightly wondered how it even stayed on its hinges, and he all but shoved Noctis and her inside before piling in himself. Tires squealed as they continued their escape in the Regalia, flying down spiraling ramps until they were free of the parking structure.

“Where are we going?” Noctis asked, his voice coming out as something of a moan. 

Ignis tapped the steering wheel with his thumb. “Still working on that one. Somewhere no one will expect to find a prince.”

“What about her place?” Gladio said, jabbing a thumb at the surprised Lyndel. “Is it close?”

She shook her head in response. “It is, but I think Ardyn knows who I am. If he’s looking for Noctis…”

“That would mean my place is out too,” Prompto continued. “A hotel or some-”

He was cut off by Ignis slamming on the breaks with such force that all five of them were jerked forward in their seats. The prince began to stutter a question, but cut himself off when he lifted his blue eyes to look out the windshield. 

Something dark was coming over the skyline of Insomnia. Something impossibly huge. The thing was armoured like a Magitek creation, but a crimson light at its core illuminated black, daemon-like smoke that spilled off its body. Gargantuan beyond comprehension, the thing towered over buildings. As it moved, even so far away, it made a sound somewhere between the rumble of a thunderstorm and a screeching of metal-on-metal. It stepped, slow and cumbersome, and Lyndel was certain she could feel the ground tremble. The terrible giant turned its body, adjusting, before its broad shoulder appendages split. Deep red light tore into the black sky like a wound; energy beams focused on destroying Insomnia, and everything in it. 

“Iggy, get us out of here!” Gladio nearly screamed, his voice pulling them all from horrified paralysis. Ignis didn’t have to be told twice; he slammed the car in reverse, whipping them into a sharp U-turn. The Regalia sped toward the border of the city, bearing the last member of the line of Lucius into the desert that lay beyond.  



	12. Promise kept

It was difficult to tell how long they had been driving. The adrenaline began to wear off as the Regalia exited the city, and there weren’t many visible landmarks in the dark, unfamiliar desert of Leide. No one spoke much during the drive, making minutes or hours seem to drag on and on. Lyndel spent most of the time trying to text and call her friends who lived in Insomnia, but the phone lines were either down or jammed. She noticed that Gladio seemed to be having the same frustration.

When the car did finally roll to a stop, it was sometime after midnight, and in the middle of nowhere. “Why are we stopping?” Gladio demanded, leaning forward towards the front seat as Ignis shut off the engine. 

“The closest town is still hours away, and the roads are perilous at night,” the other man replied. “While daemons seem to be focusing their attack on the city, I don’t want to take the chance that there aren’t a few still lurking about.”

Noctis raised his head and peered out the window into the moonlit desert. “Is this where we went camping a few months ago?”

Ignis nodded. “It is, indeed. The haven should be right on top of that hill.”

The prince muttered an affirmation, and the five exited the car. They went about setting up the campsite without much conversation, as the mood of the company was somber at best. Trying to keep her mind occupied, Lyndel found herself wondering at the royal magic that each member of the party possessed. She had witnessed them producing weapons out of thin air during the battle, but it seemed they had access to all sorts of things. A tent, chairs, even a change of clothes appeared one by one in shimmers if blue light. It was convenient, to say the least. 

As soon as the tent was up, Noctis muttered that he was going to bed, and no one attempted to convince him otherwise. With the prince inside, the other men wordlessly spread apart to go about preparing the rest of camp, each obviously practiced in their duties. In an effort to be useful and to stay out of everyone’s way, Lyn decided to help Prompto gather some kindling for the fire. 

They couldn’t wander far from the light of the haven, but there was plenty of dried scrub within their small radius. It was difficult to tell what plants were alive or dead in the desert, as everything was washed the same pale grey in the moonlight. It was even more difficult to see which of the bushes had barbs along their branches until Lyndel wrapped her hand around one particularly sinister stick. With a small yelp she released the stick and pulled back sharply. Prompto was immediately at her side, staring at her hand with concern in his eyes. 

“Are you okay?” he asked. 

Lyndel nodded, hopefully that the man couldn’t see the flush of embarrassment that covered her face. “Yeah, just a thorn,” she mumbled, holding up the offended finger to show that she wasn’t gravely injured. 

“Oh, yeah,” he returned. “Gotta watch out for those. We probably have a band-aid or something if you want?”

“It’s not that bad,” Lyn replied with a reassuring smile, rubbing her finger to take the sting away. “Thanks though.”

Prompto nodded, and they both looked back to camp in awkward silence. Ignis was busying himself over a table of supplies while Gladio paced around the tent, the glow of his cell phone clearly visible in the night. By his quick pace and frequent pausing to look at the screen and touch a few buttons, it was pretty obvious that the large man was having little luck in reaching whoever he was trying to contact. 

“Oh, his sister,” Lyndel suddenly realized, turning to Prompto again. “Have either of you heard from Iris?”

He looked guilty, shifting his weight from one foot to the other as he spoke and avoiding her eyes. “Nope. But phones don’t seem to be working at all right now, so hopefully…” 

Prompto trailed off, shaking his head. When he did continue, it was with clipped sentences. “Gladio said he saw her exit the ballroom with Cor Leonis. He’s a marshall for the Crownsguard. One of the best. I’m sure she’s okay with him.”

Lyndel watched the young man carefully a he spoke. He felt guilty for bringing her to the ball, she realized. It was because of his invitation that Iris was there at all, and now none of them were sure of her fate. “Prompto,” she said gently, “It isn’t your fault.”

His sky blue eyes rose to meet hers. He looked as though her statement had startled him. No… _terrified_ him. Prompto began to stammer, but Lyn pressed on. 

“Iris looked thrilled to be at the ball. You did a nice thing by inviting her, especially taking all that flack from Gladio. There’s no way you could have seen the attack coming.”

Prompto turned his eyes away from hers, studying his friends at the campsite again. “Yeah, I know. I still feel bad about it, though.” He sighed, shoulders slumping. He opened his mouth to say something, then shut it again, then plunged ahead. “And I don’t want Gladio to have lost his sister and his dad in the same night.”

“His dad?” Lyn asked, a cold shock running through her. 

The blond man nodded. “It’s a family thing. For generations, the oldest son’s gotten the job of Shield of the King. Gladdy’s dad was the protector of King Regis. He was by the king’s side when Duartos attacked, and it didn’t take long for him to fall in the battle after that.”

Prompto paused, taking a breath to steady himself before continuing. “I was right next to Gladio, and we both saw the whole thing. But he couldn’t do anything about it because he had to take care of Noct.” He made a face. “It was pretty awful.”

“That’s… wow,” Lyndel breathed, both impressed and heartbroken over the dedication of the Prince’s Shield. “Do you think he wants to talk about it?”

“Nah, he’s not much of a feelings guy.” Prompto rubbed at his wrist absently before turning his eyes back to meet hers. “You might want to chat with Ignis though. His uncle as there, too.”

Lyn frowned. “I didn’t know.” Despite Ignis’ earlier reassurance that he would be open and honest with her, she supposed it would have been impossible for him to tell her the details of his entire life in the few hours they had. 

Still, she noticed a pattern. Three friends to the prince acting as his guardians, and two of them had family members who did the same for the king. She couldn’t help but wonder about Prompto. He seemed so concerned with Iris and the others, but didn’t say anything about missing anyone close to him. Despite her concerns for the young man, Lyn wondered how exactly to broach the subject. She couldn’t just come out and ask “Hey, did your family die too, or…?”

“Do you also have family who work at the Citadel?” she decided to ask instead. 

Prompto shook his head. “Nah, my parents are out of town in a business trip.”

Lyndel breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s lucky. I’m sure they’re worried sick about you.”

“Yeah, um… I guess. Long story.” Clearly uncomfortable, Prompto rubbed the back of his head and avoided her gaze again. “Look, I can get the rest of this if you want to take some of the firewood up and talk to Iggy.”

Sensing a dismissal, Lyn nodded and gathered up the little pile she had accumulated. Prompto seemed like a caring guy and a good friend, but he was obviously guarded about himself. While her mind would rather dwell on her curiosity about the blond man than go back to facing the stark reality of their situation, her heart was pulling her toward Ignis. 

Her date had moved to sit on a long boulder in front of the fire, and Lyndel stacked her kindling nearby without a word. She seated herself next to him, settling in close enough for her knee to brush against his as she lowered herself onto the stone. For several long seconds, both of them simply watched the fire as it burned, sending glowing sparks and dark smoke into the night sky above. Under any other circumstance, it would be peacefully relaxing to sit wordlessly before a warm flame, just enjoying each other’s company. But despite the comfort of the fire and the beauty of the clear night sky around them, it was impossible to forget that this had been the night that Insomnia had lost everything. 

“Ignis,” Lyn began, her voice quiet as it broke the stillness around them. “Prompto said your uncle was at the ball.”

The man at her side shifted, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his thighs as he stared straight ahead. “He was,” he replied simply, his voice devoid of emotion. “A Magitek soldier cut him down as he was trying to escape.”

Lyndel’s lips parted in shock as she stared at him. In the poor light of the moon and the fire, she noticed that Ignis’ stunning green eyes were rimmed with red, though his voice and expression refused to admit any sort of feeling. Perhaps he was still sorting through his emotions or processing the unbelievable events of the night. Though she knew words wouldn’t change their situation, and though she didn’t really know what exactly to say, the thought of Ignis suffering, silently and alone, was unbearable. 

Reaching across his lap and leaning in closer to his side, Lyndel covered his hands in both of hers. The gesture made him stir, and Ignis turned his face to meet hers. “Ignis, I’m sorry,” she said, somewhat meekly. 

His eyes bore into hers, searching. Beneath his gaze, Lyn felt naked and exposed, as if he could read her very thoughts. It was somewhat intimidating, being so close to someone who was so observant and analyzing. But she found she didn’t mind. With a sudden, strong pounding of her heart, Lyndel realized that there was no one in the world she would rather bare her soul to. 

“We weren’t close,” Ignis said, cutting into her thoughts. “My uncle and I had many disagreements. For one, he thought it was foolish for me to waste time and energy training with the Crownsguard. The Shield should be the one to protect the prince, not his adviser. But had I listened to him, I probably would be lying on that ballroom floor as well.”

He shook his head and squeezed her hands. “I’m certainly not happy for being right about that,” he said. 

“Still, not being close to someone doesn’t always make it easier to say goodbye,” Lyn replied. 

The man at her side let out a sigh and shifted his attention back to the fire. “No, I suppose it doesn’t.”

She let him fall back into silence, choosing to lean her head against his shoulder rather than press him further into talking. Ignis shifted slightly, his arm snaking around her back to pull her even closer against him. Despite the fear, the danger, the tragedy of the evening, despite that their beautiful first date had turned into a complete nightmare, Lyn felt her heart overflowing with gratitude at just being able to sit next to this man. The security of his presence and the feeling of closeness was all she could wish for on a night where her whole world had been blown apart.

Still, it wasn’t long before the events of the evening began to take a physical toll on her body. The adrenaline had worn off long ago, and with no more tasks or conversations to occupy her mind, Lyn found herself stifling a yawn. Ignis noticed, of course. She was quickly learning that nothing got by him. 

“Let’s get you to bed,” he said, urging her to rise from their comfortable position. “I asked Prompto to lend you a shirt and shorts to sleep in. They’ll probably fit you better than my own clothing. I hope you don’t mind.”

Lyndel shook her head and smiled up at him, too tired to wonder about the propriety of sleeping in another man’s clothes. Instead, she spoke a quiet “thank you” and began to pull away to go change. 

But Ignis didn’t let go of her hand. “Lyndel,” he said slowly, “I have a promise to keep.”

She turned back toward him in surprise and confusion, doing her best to read his shadowed expression. A question rose in her throat, and she opened her mouth to voice it, but was silenced when he took a step closer. Ignis’ hand reached upward, slowly, to brush a strand of blond hair from her face before cupping her cheek. Behind his glasses, emerald eyes twinkled with emotion as he searched her face. They flickered down to her lips, then up again, meeting her own eyes, as if asking for permission. Lyndel’s body answered before her mind even caught up, her eyes fluttering closed and her face tilting in an invitation that Ignis readily took. 

They met in a kiss, gently, both hesitant at first, but Ignis’s passion quickly increased. His hands moved to her shoulders, gripping her tightly with long fingers before sliding back across her shoulder blades. His lips pressed tightly to hers, soft and warm, still tasting of wine with traces of coffee and spice, speaking of insatiable need and a desperation that surprised her. 

Time and space seemed to stop in that moment, but all the same, it was over much too fast. When he pulled away, Lyndel felt her breathing was shallow, her cheeks warm and her hands trembling where they were gripping his shirt. Again, his eyes found hers, and even in the darkness of the night, Lyn could see that the green had darkened darkened with desire.

Oh yes, her sluggish brain finally remembered. He had promised her a kiss at the end of the night. And despite everything that had happened between their conversation on the balcony and their fireside talk, Ignis hadn’t forgotten. 

“I’m truly sorry this night did not go as planned,” Ignis said, his voice barely above a whisper and sounding as breathless as she felt. “I loathe that because of my invitation, you were also in danger. However, I find that I am selfishly glad you are here with me.”

Lyn felt herself smile for the first time in hours, and she released his shirt to gently caress his chest with her open palms. “I am too,” she said simply but earnestly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the kind comments! I’m glad people are having as much fun reading this as I am writing it.


	13. Pause and plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This could use more editing, but I've been sitting on it for too long already.

Ignis was the first one up. But that was no surprise, as he was _always_ the first one up. The early morning suited him just fine, as the strategist had some planning to do.

He began to make breakfast, slowly, leisurely, as his mind worked through the events of the night before. The king was dead, but Noctis was safe and free. They could only hope their location remained a secret. No one had followed them from the city, and no Magitek troopers had surrounded their tent in the middle of the night, so that was something. Objectively, they were in a fairly good position to meet at a rendezvous point with any other survivors, to heal and rebuild.

But it seemed that Ignis was having a difficult time solely thinking objectively as of late. Even when mentally mapping out the route to their destination, he found his thoughts drifting back to the blond girl who was still inside the tent. Once they had all settled into bed the night before, once everyone had begun to drift off to sleep, Ignis had detected the telltale sound of sniffling. He had peered around the darkness to find the nearby outline of Lyndel's small form trembling as the girl fought to remain silent and hold her sadness in. Noctis, Gladio, and himself had all lost family members, but the girl had been thrust into the nights’ trauma along with them. Ignis wondered about her home, her friends, if any of them were surviving the empire’s onslaught on Insomnia. Was she wondering the same?

She had been laying within reach, and Ignis had pulled Lyndel close to him. She hadn’t resisted, instead burying her face in his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. It had broken his heart all over again to feel and hear her muffled sobs, especially knowing there was nothing he could do to ease her sadness.

Eventually, she had drifted off to sleep, and he had done the same shortly after. But the memory haunted him as he watched his porridge simmer with a frown. He would have to send her away, Ignis knew, in order to keep her safe. But his initial duty was to the crown. First, he would have to get Noctis to safety. Taking care of Lyndel would have to come second. 

A rustle came from the tent behind him, and Ignis turned to see the very person of whom he had been thinking emerge. After taking a moment to squint and rub her eyes in the morning light, Lyndel moved quickly to his side and wrapped her arms around his waist. Surprised, Ignis let the spoon her was holding drop against the side of the pot and returned her embrace. 

He looked down at the girl, at the way the sunlight made her golden hair shine, the way Prompto’s tee shirt loosely draped off one of her slim shoulders, the way her soft form molded right up against his. Ignis decided that while he should be focused on Noctis, he certainly did not mind the distraction of having Lyndel around. 

He gently kissed the top of her head before pulling from her arms to get a look at her face. She wasn’t crying, as Ignis had feared, and she even gave him a shy smile.

“Feeling a bit better?” he asked. 

Lyndel nodded. “It’s a new day,” she said simply. “Besides, there’s no use worrying over what I can’t do anything about.” 

Ignis picked up his spoon and began to stir again. “Well said. We will find answers soon enough,” he promised. 

The girl pursed her lips and circled around his workspace, her grey eyes grazing over the ingredients. “I didn’t know you cooked.”

“It’s become something of a hobby,” he replied. “And it is an easy way to make sure Noctis gets proper nutrition, despite his best efforts to do otherwise.”

“He’s damn good at it, too,” a deep voice interrupted. Ignis and Lyndel looked up to see Gladio emerging from the tent. The large man wore nothing but pajama pants, but didn’t seemed bothered by walking around shirtless (which was in fairly poor taste around a lady, Ignis thought). The prince’s Shield ran his hands through his dark hair and moved closer to sniff the steam coming off their breakfast. “I’m surprised you still have ingredients leftover from the last camping trip.” 

“Not many,” the advisor admitted. “But enough to pull a meal together. We will have to stock up at our next stop.”

The tent rustled again, and Prompto joined their small gathering, making a show of yawning and stretching. “Noct’s still asleep,” he reported. “Go figure.” 

Ignis frowned. “Well, we had better wake him. We have a lot of ground to cover today.”

“Where are we going?” Prompto asked, but Ignis waved him off. 

“We will discuss it over breakfast.”

——

“The marshall set up the rendezvous point years ago in case the royal family ever needed to evacuate the Citadel,” Ignis explained to the company as they ate. “He has garnered many friendships with the local hunters over the years and was able to establish a safe house of sorts at one of their outposts here in Leide.”

Gladio grunted, setting his empty bowl aside with a graceless clatter. “I haven’t been there, but Cor said it was nothing glamorous.”

“We are not in need of luxury, we need safety.” Ignis countered, pushing his glasses up with his index finger as he spoke. “What’s more, if all of the royal guards follow the emergency contingencies and make their way to the outpost, we will meet more survivors there.”

The prince’s dark head rose for the first time during the conversation. “You think Luna will be there?”

His adviser met Noctis’ clear, blue eyes and gave a gentle nod. “She was in Nyx Ulric’s care while we made our escape. He was of high enough ranking to know where to go. At this point, the outpost is our best bet of where the Oracle will be.”

Lyndel’s gaze moved from one man to another in silence, taking in everything that was said and doing her best to follow along. She hadn’t a clue as to the identities of some of the people they spoke, but decided against asking questions. Despite her ignorance, Ignis’ plan sounded good enough for her. 

“Just one question,” Prompto said, an edge of uncertainty to his voice. “King Regis was killed by a pretty high ranking person who we thought was loyal. Is it possible that our enemies know about this backup plan? That we’ll be heading to the outpost?”

Silence settled over the campsite as the other four mulled over his words. Lyndel felt a cold shiver of fear creep up her back. If what Prompto suggested was true, they would be a just tiny group of survivors in an unfamiliar place, up against whatever the empire wanted to throw at them. And they would be bringing the last member of the Lucian family right into a trap. It sounded like the worst case scenario. 

“What are our other options?” Lyn asked, her voice adding to the conversation for the first time. 

There was another moment of silence as the men regarded her, turning over her words in their minds. Finally, it was Ignis who spoke. 

“While we could practically go anywhere else, I fail to see any gain in doing so, besides simply hiding. With the phones still down, we don’t know the locations of any of our allies.”

He paused, drawing his attention to Noctis again. “Of course, there might be some advantage to laying low for a time. Perhaps our enemies will think you fell with the Citadel and relax their search.”

“And just sit back and wonder about what happened to all of our friends?” Noctis snapped back. “About Luna and Iris and Cor and the others?”

Ignis leaned forward in his seat, placing his elbows on his knees and weaving his fingers together. “Despite your concerns for our friends, Noct, I might remind you that your safety is paramount to everything else.”

The prince shook his head. “My father always said my duty was to my people. I’m not just going to run and hide.”

Apparently that was the answer Gladio wanted to hear, as a smirk crossed the larger man’s face. “We heading to the outpost then?” he asked, rising to his feet. 

Prompto still looked concerned, his light blue eyes darting from one person to the next. “So we take a ride…” he began slowly. 

“But watch our backs,” Gladio finished, and the blond nodded. 

“Fair enough,” Ignis agreed. 

Noctis also rose to his feet, moving more quickly than Lyndel had seen from him all morning. “Let’s do it,” the prince said firmly. 

Ignis reached for Lyndel’s hand, gently helping her up as the other three men moved to start packing up camp. Lyn moved to help, but the adviser failed to release her hand. 

“Are you alright accompanying us?” he asked, concern etched in his features. 

Lyn gave a short laugh in response. “Do I have a choice? I can’t very well just hang out here in the desert and wait for you guys.”

Ignis’ cheeks turned slightly pink. “I didn’t mean-“

“I know,” she said, placing a hand on his forearm. “Look, I don’t have anywhere else to go, but I also want to help. Noctis said his duty was to look after his people, but our duty is to take care of our prince, too. If I can do anything to help him, I’ve got to try.”

A smile quirked at the corners of Ignis’ mouth, and he leaned down to place a gentle kiss on her forehead. “Thank you,” he said simply before turning to pack up his cooking equipment. 

\-----

“It’s a great day to have the top down,” Prompto said cheerfully as he climbed into the Regalia. “Warm wind in our hair, some music… I think we’re in for a nice ride.”

“Not too loud with the music,” Noctis said as he settled into the back seat. “I’m going to try to take a nap.”

Gladio huffed a laugh as he held open the door for Lyndel to climb into the middle of the back seat. “Noctis has been awake for a whole two hours and is sleepy again. Now there’s a surprise,” the big man teased. 

Ignis waited for his companions to get comfortable from his place behind the steering wheel. He took one last pull at his can of Ebony before placing it in the cupholder. “All ready then?”

“Yup! To the Prairie Outpost!” Prompto said, pointing forward like a knight charging into battle.

Lyndel giggled form the back seat, and even the advisor stifled a chuckle as he reached for the Regalia’s keys, giving them a turn in the ignition. 

And nothing happened. 

Ignis blinked behind his glasses and tried again. Once again, the car failed to react. Prompto’s outstretched arm dropped like a limp noodle as all eyes turned to the driver. 

His mind racing, Ignis attempted to assess the situation while blocking out the sudden and incessant flood of questions from the other four in the car. Granted, he _had_ been hard on the car the previous night, but the Regalia was kept in immaculate condition and should have been able to handle their flight from the city with ease. He hadn’t noticed any odd noises or rough riding. For the key to not even be turning over… that would mean… 

Ignis’ green eyes flicked to the control panel, where he saw the headlights had been left on. “The battery is dead,” he said simply, feeling completely stunned. 

“What?” Noctis gasped. “You left the lights on?”

Gladio frowned and folded his arms across his chest. “That doesn’t sound like our Iggy.”

There was a moment of silence as Ignis stared at the headlight switch in disbelief. No, it didn’t sound like him. He was always meticulously careful in everything he did. Especially when driving. Especially with the king's personal vehicle! But he had been a bit distracted the night before, could he have made such a mistake? 

“Errrrr… Actually...” Prompto squeaked from the passenger seat. “I think it was me.”

Ignis slowly turned his head to the right, doing his best to process what Prompto was saying. 

“While we were unloading the car, I left the lights on to keep any daemons away. I… uh… I guess I forgot to turn them off.” The blond was stammering, his face red, his eyes shifting from one face to another, silently begging for mercy. "I mean, we all had a lot on our minds last night, right?"

Ignis’ seat lurched slightly as Noctis pushed his face against the back of the headrest. “What are we gonna do now?” he muttered, his voice muffled by the leather. 

“I guess we push,” Gladio said, already opening his door and stepping out of the car. “There’s gotta be a rest stop or something nearby.”

The prince pushed his door open with a groan. “Maybe someone will see us and give us a jump,” he mumbled. 

Prompto sighed, his shoulders slumped, looking like he wanted to evaporate in the quickly warming desert air. With a frown, he also exited the car. “At least it’s kind of a nice day, right guys?” he asked hopefully.

“Oh yes,” Ignis replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes. “Aren’t we lucky.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, Prompto. You're so easy to pick on.


	14. Black and silver and red

Lady Lunafreya Nox Fleuret stared as crimson blood began to stain King Regis’ silver and black clothing. The king was down on one knee, hands clutching at his chest, his weathered face already beginning to pale. Time seemed to crawl past as the Oracle watched, stunned and helpless, as the man sagged forward, then toppled backward to sprawl on the ballroom floor.

The attacker, one that Luna recognized but barely registered as one of the king’s own protectors, raised his sword to deliver a death blow, but was violently knocked aside when a second Glaive tackled him to the ground. The opening gave Luna a chance to move forward, and without further hesitation, she did.

She had worked much of her life as healer of the people. Perhaps she could help Insomnia’s king.

Sprinting to his side and collapsing to her knees, Luna did her best to assess the damage through the king’s clothing. There was a lot of blood. Too much blood lost much too fast. Still…

She tugged at his shirt in desperation to get to the wound. Luna worked single mindedly, ignoring the sounds of clashing steel, nobles screaming, sophisticated shoes stomping on the black marble floor as guests sought to escape the ballroom, even a gentle voice that was saying her name… 

A hand gently grazed her cheek. Lunafreya blinked and paused, her trembling fingers still gripping the front of the monarch’s shirt. Her blue eyes raised to meet those of king, and he gave her a pained smile. 

“Leave it, Lunafreya,” Regis was saying. “Get to safety.”

“No, your majesty, there has to be something I can do,” she mumbled, glancing back down at his wound. 

The man winced in pain and lowered his head to the floor, his light green eyes turning toward the ceiling. “I accepted this even before it happened. It’s finished.”

Luna stilled. “You… knew you would be betrayed?” she asked in disbelief.

“What matters is that you and Noctis are safe.” Regis’ hand drifted downward into her arm, leaving a warm, wet trail on her skin. 

Tears flooded Luna’s eyes and her grip tightened on the king’s shirt. Her mind was begging, screaming in denial of what he was saying. But the sound didn’t reach her lips. Instead, she simply watching helplessly as Regis lifted a shaking hand.

He opened his fist, revealing the Ring of the Lucii in his hand.

“Get this to Noctis,” he gasped through the pain, his voice taking an edge of urgency as both and and Luna realized there wasn't much time left to King Regis’ rule. “He is the Chosen King. Tell him I’m sorry. Tell him…”

He gripped her arm weakly, his eyes meeting hers again. “Lunafreya, I’m sorry,” Regis said. “I’m sorry for both of you.”

The tears she had been holding back spilled down her cheeks and Luna leaned forward to embrace the king as best she could while he lay on the ground. She felt his heart beat slowly, slowly… and then simply fail to beat again.

All the Oracle wanted to do was mourn the death of the king, of the future of Insomnia, of all the light and hope she had felt at the start of the evening. But instead, she felt a firm grip on her shoulder, a hand roughly pulling her upwards to her feet. 

At first, Luna resisted. She assumed it was Ardyn’s hand pulling her back into the prison he called his protection. She turned fiercely, jerking her body from the hand’s grip and found herself face to face with one of the Kingsglaive.

“We have to get you out of here, Princess,” the man said, urgency written all over his features.

Lunafreya took a deep breath to steady herself, focusing on the feeling of the Ring in her tightly closed fist, it’s smooth edges digging into her palm.

She nodded and followed the Glaive away from the body of the king.


	15. Sidetracked

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My disclaimer is that I haven't seen Kingsglaive besides a few Youtube clips, so my knowledge of these characters' personalities and interaction between Nyx and Luna is severely limited. 
> 
> However... I did have fun using some creative license here. And I plan to do more in the future. So there.
> 
>  
> 
> Also, there is a smidge of language in this, so I'm adjusting the rating.

The Citadel was a massive structure, and it had never seemed larger than when Lunafreya and the Kingsglaive soldier were running through its endless hallways. She was thankful for his guidance, as Luna felt she would surely have gotten lost in their frantic escape. But despite his single-minded focus on leading her to an exit, despite the mortal danger that they had left in the ballroom, the Oracle wasn’t ready to leave just yet. 

The Glaive she was supposed to be following gave a surprised shout when Lunafreya broke away, veering to the right to head up a flight of stairs. She ignored his calls and the sound of his boots as they scrambled across the hard floor to catch up with her. Though she didn’t know her way around the entire Citadel, Luna knew the way to her guest room. Up one flight of stairs, a turn to the left, and just to the end of the hall lay the door she was seeking. There were a few things inside Luna just couldn’t leave behind. 

“Stop!” the man said, finally catching up with her at the top of the stairs and grabbing onto her arm. “I told you to follow me!”

Lunafreya turned to meet his eyes. Blue eyes, like her own, commanding, confused, and more than a little concerned, stared back at her, waiting for obedience. Instead, Luna wrenched her arm out of the Glaive’s grip and continued to walk quickly down the hall. 

“Hey! What are you doing?” Urgency painted the man’s voice as he moved to stand in front of her. His hand reached out again, but she pushed it away with one of her own. 

Lunafreya drew to a stop and tilted her chin upward, partly in defiance, partly because she had to look upward to meet his eyes. “First of all, I’ll thank you not to put your hands on me again,” she said, the control on her voice surprising even herself. “While I appreciate your protection and guidance, Glaive, I need to retrieve a few things from my room before we make our exit.”

The man’s lips parted as his mouth fell open, and Luna took advantage of his stunned silence to walk around him and continue toward her room.

He didn’t give up easily, however, as it was only a second before the man was at her side. This time he didn’t try to physically block Luna, but he didn’t go along quietly either.

“Look, Princess,” the man nearly growled as they walked, “this isn’t exactly the time to go pick up your curling iron. The empire isn’t just going to let someone of your station go. They’ll be coming for you. Any minute now.” 

He was persistent, and Luna couldn’t help but respect that. The sound of their own footsteps were accentuated with crashes and screams coming from the ballroom behind them. Civilians were fleeing the building, and this Glaive could save his own life and go with them. But he valiantly continued to stick by her side. Unfortunately, he also continued talking.

“I’m sure whatever’s in there can be replaced,” he said, glancing behind them as echoes of footsteps drifted up the stairs. 

Luna nearly smiled to herself. “That would be fairly difficult,” she replied. 

Just before reaching the door to her room, Lunafreya suddenly stopped and turned to the man. “What is your name?” 

He shook his head. “Now you want introductions. Can’t we do that on our way out of here?”

But Luna stood patiently, silently, waiting for his answer. The man let his breath out through his teeth in a long hiss. 

“Nyx Ulric,” he finally said, his reply coming out as something of a snarl.

“Thank you, Nyx,” Luna said, turning back to the door and reaching for the handle. “I couldn’t very well call you ‘Glaive’ over and over again.”

“Princess…” he began, a warning in his voice, but Luna cut him off with a wave of her hand. 

“You may use my first name as well, if you prefer. Nyx, do you like dogs?”

The soldier stammered. “Do I _what_?!” 

\------

Nyx Ulric stared in shock and confusion as Lady Lunafreya opened the door to her room and gracefully moved through it. She didn’t want to make a hasty retreat to the exit like every other noble at that ball. Instead, she’d rather find out if he was a fucking dog person, as if that could possibly matter at all in this situation. As if they weren’t about to be found and attacked by a whole swarm of Magitek troopers. As if the Citadel wasn’t literally and figuratively falling apart around them. As if anything in Eos could be as important as getting her to safety. 

Two medium sized, fluffy dogs approached them, one dark, one light. They didn’t come bounding to the door like many dogs would, drooling and excitedly jumping on their owners, but rather with the same sense of calm refinement that their mistress possessed as they got to their feet and approached with gently wagging tails. The Oracle took a moment to kneel and caress each dog’s head and look each of them in the eyes, communicating with expression and body language more than words ever could. It would be a rather cute, touching scene in any other circumstance. 

But this wasn’t any other circumstance. This was the fall of Insomnia. 

“You put off your escape for _dogs_?” Nyx asked, exasperated, as he watched form the doorway. 

Luna rose to her feet and gave him a wordless glance over her shoulder before continuing forward through her room. His blue eyes flickered down to the animals before stepping into the room’s entryway. “Okay, fine, I get that you love your puppies. We can take them with us. But, Princess, it’s extremely important that we leave NOW.”

“I’m aware of our situation, Nyx,” Lunafreya’s voice drifted back towards him from the bedroom. “I’ll just be a moment.”

He snorted and turned back to the hall, straining his ears to listen for any hints that their enemies were getting closer. The sound of battle still seemed far enough away, but it was difficult to be sure with the way the halls echoed. Though his heart was racing, Nyx wasn’t panicked; he had been in countless battles. The thrill of the fight and the exhausted pride of victory was what he lived for. But he was used to an open battlefield where he could see his opponents, not a labyrinth of stone hallways and hidden passages. 

While he was used to watching the backs of his comrades while in the field, playing impromptu bodyguard to the Oracle was also new and different. Nyx was a great warrior; he had no doubts about his abilities in any way. But usually he was alongside someone who knew what sort of danger to look out for as well. It would be the understatement of the year to say that this girl was not a soldier, but what was worse was that she didn’t seem to act with any urgency in their situation. It was beyond aggravating that Lady Lunafreya wasn’t simply trusting him and following his direction. He was the professional in this situation. Her station as Oracle or princess or future queen didn’t matter. He was the one who…

His thoughts trailed off, and Nyx’s eyes narrowed. Maybe that was it. Maybe this was a damn power play. Maybe Lunafreya’s ego was so fragile that she had to do irrational things to prove that she was the one in charge. His frown deepened. Why not? Rich nobles were sometimes so out of touch with reality that they did stupid things. But the last thing he needed was a spoiled brat of a girl with whom to engage in a battle of wills. 

“Alright, I’m ready to go,” the Oracle’s voice, still overly calm and cool for their circumstances, cut into his thoughts. Nyx turned back towards the room to find Lady Lunafreya, who was not gripping tightly to a designer bag stuffed with her valuables, but rather a gleaming trident of silver and black. Despite his previous musing, Nyx immediately realized that she didn’t look like a frightened damsel in distress or an arrogant royal who demanded attention. Her usually serene expression was replaced by one of quiet determination, and her hands held the weapon in a way that was obvious she knew how to wield it. 

The Glaive cocked his head in curiosity, his smartass comment dying in his throat at the sight of her. Of course he was still a bit frustrated with her, and of course he felt an incredible amount of urgency in getting them both out of the Citadel. But he also felt a new and sudden respect for the girl. As her dogs moved to flank her sides, as the dim light of her room reflected off the gleaming surface of the trident, even Nyx had to admit that she looked somewhat formidable. 

“Going to help me fight our way through this mess, Princess?” Nyx asked, unable to keep a teasing smile from rising to his lips. 

Lady Lunafreya smiled back at him. “I hope we don’t have to,” she replied. “But I would rather be prepared for anything.”


	16. “Not my wife.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nyx has a crush. 
> 
> (And is kind of a creep now that I reread this.)

The little roadside pit stop called Hammerhead was as good a place as any to rest for the night, Nyx decided as he pulled their stolen car into the parking lot. The accommodations were… folksy at best, and the Oracle deserved better. But when one is on the run from imperial troops, one tends not to be picky. At least the camper was clean, though it has clearly seen better days. 

He had made sure Lady Lunafreya was settled into bed before wandering over to the all night diner just across the parking lot. Nyx didn’t have much of an appetite, but he did want a beer to help him relax. Having chosen a booth next to a window, he kept an eye on their camper, tearing at the labels of the first, second, and third bottles as his mind wandered. 

Their escape had gone well, once they had gotten along with it. Lunafreya had known how to use her trident with surprising skill. Her style was mostly defensive, but Nyx reasoned that made sense. Her position as Oracle was meant to help and heal others, not attack and wound them. Still, it was extremely helpful to have someone at his side who wasn’t completely helpless. 

Nyx chuckled to himself and took a pull from his bottle. Lady Lunafreya Nox Fleuret was not a typical damsel in distress. She had wanted to know his plans as he made them, and contributed her own ideas and opinions in that polite, peaceful tone of hers. Nyx was the first to admit that he usually reacted poorly to constructive criticism, but there was something about this girl that made him want to hear what she had to say. 

“Do ya want another one?” a waitress asked, cutting into Nyx’s thoughts.

“Yeah, but I’d better not.” He shifted in his seat, digging some cash from his pocket. 

His server glanced out the window towards the trailer. “Ready to go join your wife?” 

Nyx blinked, pausing to look up at the woman in confusion. 

“Oh, I saw y’all pull in. Not much to do at night around here but watch the roads. I mean you’re both young and she’s very pretty, I just assumed-“ The waitress turned slightly pink, realizing her mistake. 

“Not my wife,” Nyx snorted. More than ready to be done with that conversation, he paid the woman and pushed himself up from the booth. 

Fucking small town people with their fucking small talk. He stepped outside and shook his head, which was beginning to feel a little clouded with worry, fatigue, and a bit of alcohol. Might as well try to get some sleep, Nyx mused as he crossed the short distance to the trailer. 

Lunafreya has settled into the only bed at his insistence, and Nyx kicked off his boots in front of the couch. He glanced toward the door to what could be called the bedroom and hesitated, seeing it cracked. Though he had kept his eyes on the trailer while at the diner, the guardian felt a sudden stab of worry that something might have happened to the Oracle while he was out. 

His feet were silent as they moved across the old carpeted floor, and Nyx winced as the door gave a slight creak when he pushed it open. Lunafreya’s dogs both raised their heads to watch his entrance from their place on the floor, but seemed to know he wasn’t a threat to their mistress and quickly relaxed. The Oracle, however, didn’t stir at all. 

It’s no wonder, Nyx thought to himself. She must be exhausted. It would have been a big night for her even without the Niflheim attack. Diplomacy was one of the things the soldier hated the most. Blades were honest and upfront on a battlefield. But a political opponent could smile to your face like an old friend while arranging your assassination behind your back. It was frustrating and draining. 

But Lunafreya had seemed to glide through the ballroom like a cloud through blue skies. As if she had been right at home. As if she hadn’t a care in the world. It was a sort of strength, Nyx realized, feeling a bit impressed. A mental fortitude he simply did not possess.

A beam of moonlight was shining through the slats between the blinds and fell onto her sleeping form, giving Nyx a good look at her face. Despite her political posturing earlier, despite that he knew damn well that she was the princess of Tenebrae, the Oracle of the gods, future queen of Insomnia… in the silence of the night, Lunafreya just looked like a girl. 

A “very pretty” girl, as the waitress had said. 

What would her life be like now, Nyx suddenly found himself wondering with some concern. Would she always be on the run from the empire? What would they do to her if she was found and caught? Would she ever be able to go back to her duties as Oracle? And what of her marriage to Prince Noctis? It was a stipulation for the peace treaty, but since that turned out to be a sham, she wouldn’t have to go through with it.

The waitress had thought the two of them not were married. Had it just been because they were two young people traveling together? Or had she seen something in their chemistry as she had spied from that diner window?

With a sharp intake of breath, Nyx suddenly realized the dangerous road his mind was taking. He straightened and mentally shook himself before making his way out of the bedroom as quickly and quietly as possible. 

It was the beer causing those thoughts, he told himself as he settled onto the couch. He knew lady Lunafreya was his charge, and he would see her safely to the Prairie Outpost. That was the extent of his current, self-appointed mission, and he would see it through without deviation. Of course he would.

Nyx frowned at the ceiling, doing his best not to think about the princess until sleep finally came.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is back to Iggy. I PROMISE. I didn’t mean to have so much Nyx and Luna to write, but it’s honestly getting to be hard not to.


	17. The Grease-Monkey Granddaughter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jane says: It’s never too early in a relationship to have sexy thoughts.

“I can’t” (pant) “believe” (pant) “nobody” (pant) “helped us out,” Prompto moaned, his forehead leaning against the shining paint of the Regalia. 

“Less bitching, more pushing,” Gladio growled in response. “C’mon, there’s only a few feet left.”

Lyndel turned the wheel as hard as she could, a difficult task without power steering, guiding the car slowly into the Hammer Head parking lot. Her arms were sore and her skin felt uncomfortably hot and dusty, but she counted herself lucky compared to the men around her. Though they had rotated positions and had taken their time, there was no question that pushing a car for miles was a difficult task. 

Though they all suffered, Prompto has been the most dramatically vocal of the four, assuring them all that his heart was ready to give out and he was done for several times during the trip. Noctis managed to get through with only a few groans and complaints, nothing near as exaggerated as Prompto, and most of his gripes were either about food or sleep. 

Gladio has taken up command of the task, though his physical strength and determination made Lyndel wonder if he couldn’t have simply pushed the car himself. That physique of his wasn’t all for show; Lyn had noticed that the car crawled along faster and easier when he was pushing from behind. 

Ignis had remained mostly silent, intently focused on the job at hand. He was currently pushing just next to her, at the driver’s side door, and Lyndel stole a glance from the corner of her eye. His face was somewhat flushed and his glasses had slid just slightly further down his nose than usual. His sandy colored hair, that had somehow been styled perfectly even after a night of camping, was beginning to come loose and fall around his face. His full lips were slightly parted in exhale, and a bead of sweat was lazily rolling down his temple. 

Even with physical labor in blistering heat, Ignis’ physical appearance only just barely betrayed his exhaustion. If anything, the slight imperfections made him look even more attractive in her eyes. Her gaze drifted down to his forearms, revealed by partially rolled-up sleeves. Lean muscles were taught with the strain of pushing the vehicle, and his large, strong hands gripped the door frame with determination. 

Lyndel bit her lower lip as sudden impure thoughts surprised her by streaming through her imagination. Perhaps, she thought as she studied the man, this was a fleeting picture of what Ignis must look like during sex. Strong but controlled, flushed but still carrying himself with grace and focus. Everything else Ignis seemed to put his mind to came out perfectly. Was he so talented in the more intimate areas of his life? Physically, the two had only shared a kiss, but she had felt so much passion and need behind it-

“Something on your mind?” 

His voice snapped Lyn back to reality. Oh right. They were finally at their destination. The time for daydreaming was definitely over. 

“Nope!” she replied, perhaps a little too boldly as she nearly jumped from the Regalia. 

Ignis moved to close the door behind her, but instead encircled her waist with his arm and suddenly pulled her close. “Are you certain?” He asked, his voice barely above a whisper. “Pupils dilated, gaze focused… for a moment there, you looked just like a kitten ready to pounce.”

So he had noticed. Of course he had. Lyndel kicked herself for letting her imagination wander so freely with others around to see her. Especially the analyst who didn’t let anything sneak by. She felt her face, already warm with the heat of the day, flush even more.

But… by the gods, his voice sounded sexy when it was lowered like that. Her eyes moved upward from his chest to meet his gaze, and Lyndel felt herself becoming lost in those deep, emerald pools of his eyes. Would it be wrong to kiss him again, to have another taste of the man she had been craving so suddenly and so intensely? Out here in the open, in front of the grieving prince and his retinue? It probably was disrespectful. No, it certainly was. But in that moment at least, she didn’t much care. Did he?

Lyn never got a chance to find out, as an overly cheerful voice cut into her thoughts and stole away Ignis’ attention. When her grey eyes connected with the speaker, Lyndel reasoned that the woman probably didn’t need to speak much at all to steal a man’s attention.

A blonde woman was approaching the group, tall and vivacious, wearing clothing that left little to the imagination. The red baseball cap and yellow jacket were modest enough, but the woman matched them with an orange bikini top, white boots, thigh high stockings, and probably the shortest denim shorts Lyndel had ever seen. And being a tailor by trade, that was saying something. The outfit was daring to say the least, but the stranger had the body to pull it off. 

Still clad in a borrowed, ill-fitting tee shirt and basketball shorts, Lyndel felt suddenly inadequate in the presence of this supermodel. She risked a glance around at the men in her party and it was obvious that they had been stunned by woman’s good looks as well. Noctis’ eyes were bulging, Prompto’s mouth was actually hanging open, and Gladio leaned back on the hood of the Regalia and openly eyed the woman with a smirk. 

Lyn felt a squeeze on her hand and looked down to see Ignis’ fingers entwined with her own. He made no move to distance himself, but rather tugged her along as he stepped forward to take his place next to the prince. Just as when they were dancing the night before, Lyndel felt herself somewhat reassured by Ignis even when he didn’t say a word. She took a steadying breath and turned her eyes back to the approaching stranger.

“Hey there! How y’all doin’?” the woman asked, her voice as sunny and cheerful as her appearance. “Havin’ some car trouble, I see?”

“A bit,” Ignis replied, his voice even as always. “We believe it’s the battery.”

The woman smiled, a flash of straight, white teeth. “Doesn’t sound so bad. Let me take a look,” she said. 

She passed by Prompto and Noctis without giving them a glance, approaching the car head on. Gladio’s smirk widened into a grin as the woman moved past the other men and directly toward him. He straightened, lifting from his casual position against the hood and placing his hands on his hips in expectation. 

“We has to push it a few miles to get here,” the prince’s Shield said, amber eyes trailing up to stranger’s body to her pretty face. “I always like a workout in the morning, but this wasn’t what I usu-“

“Wow,” the tall blonde breathed. Lyndel was in the process of rolling her eyes when the other woman stepped around Gladio’s sizeable body, her gaze fixed on the Regalia. 

Gladio opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off again. “Well, ain’t she a beauty?” the woman cooed, gently tracing her fingers along the car’s dark hood. Her hips gently swayed as she began to circle the vehicle, keen olive eyes taking in every curve. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen something like this way out here. Who’s her daddy?”

Noctis cleared his throat and moved to stand on the other side of the Regalia. “Um… The car is mine,” he said slowly, almost hesitantly. 

With what seemed to be a real effort, the woman pried her ogling eyes from the vehicle and looked up towards Noctis’ voice, only to see her second surprise of the day. 

“Prince Noctis?!” she realized with a gasp, really looking at him for the first time since their arrival. “I heard about the attack on the radio. The news said you were probably dead! But why weren’t you with-“

“Prince? Ha!” a voice rasped. The group turned to see a weathered man approaching from the workshop. The man’s shoulders were hunched and his steps short and slow, but his eyes were clear and sharp. Those eyes sized Noctis up quickly before turning to the car. He continued to mutter to himself, though he was loud enough for the entire party to hear. “Prince Noctis. It’s like they took your old man and kicked the dignity out of him.”

Noctis stepped forward, eyes narrowing. “What did you just say?”

The woman was quick to interrupt, drawing Noct’s attention back towards herself. “This is Paw Paw, the owner of the station. I’m his grease-monkey granddaughter, Cindy. Don’t you worry, Prince. We’ll be taking good care of your baby girl here.”

“Name’s Cid Sophiar,” the older man interjected without offering a bow or handshake, or even shifting his attention back to the prince. “What are you gonna be doing with her?”

“We’re heading north,” Ignis answered, though he refrained from offering details. “We think a new battery should suffice to get us back on the road.”

Cid shook his head, and his granddaughter looked concerned. “Ya can’t just take something like this on the dirt roads of Leide,” he said, patting the hood of the Regalia as if to comfort it. “She’s a custom classic, not some beat up old clunker.”

Lyndel found herself growing annoyed with the man’s critical attitude, but Ignis seemed to at least be playing along. “What do you suggest?” the tactician patiently asked. 

The older man huffed and turned to head back to his shop, turning his back on the royal party in yet another showing of poor manners. “We’ll make some modifications to her,” he said simply as he walked away.

Cindy drew everyone’s attention back to herself with her cheery voice. “We can add some tires better built for driving off road. Thicker treads, puncture proof, all that. Some panels underneath would keep dust out of the engine, and maybe we’ll give her a heavy duty air filter too.” She spoke with a kind smile, and her fingers continued to lovingly caress the car as she rattled off a list of changes.

Lyndel listened in silence, but she knew next to nothing about what the convertable did or did not need to safely navigate through the desert. Instead, her pewter eyes flickered from the older man’s retreating form to his granddaughter and back. Both were obviously capable and knowledgeable about their trade, but the girl was definitely the face and heart of the business, even if Cid was it’s soul. She was obviously used to the old man's grisly attitude and sour comments, and her cheerful demeanor seemed to be setting even Noctis at ease. 

“It’ll take some time, and it won’t be cheap” Cindy admitted, “but it’ll be worth not breakin’ down again later on.”

“Wow, you really know your stuff,” Prompto offered when she was finished with her laundry list of parts. The corners of Cindy’s mouth tugged upwards, but she didn’t shift her eyes from the prince.

Noctis rubbed the back of his head and let out a long sigh. “I’m not so worried about the price,” he said slowly. “But we’re kind of in a hurry.”

Cindy nodded. “Yeah, I guess you have some catching up to do.”

“Well we-” Noctis started, but his eyes snapped up to Cindy again. “What do you mean 'some catching up’?”

The girl blinked, glancing from one man to the next. “With the Oracle, right?”

The five stared dumbly back at her. “Cindy,” Ignis finally asked, his words slow and focused. “Was the Oracle here?”

“Sure!” the mechanic said with a grin. “She spent the night here last night! Ya know, I feel so silly. None of us even realized it was her until after she left though, when we heard the news and put it together.”

“Was she okay?” Noctis asked, desperation creeping into his voice. 

“Was she alone?” Gladio quickly interjected. 

“Did she say where she was going?” Prompto asked, taking an excited step forward. 

Cindy held up her hands in surprise and shook her head with a laugh. “I’m sure you know more than I do, but she seemed fine. So did the guy she was with. She didn’t say much to anyone here, but they went north this morning.”

At Lyndel’s side, she felt Ignis’ body relax. “She must have been with Nyx,” he reasoned. “They’ll be just ahead of us then. This is good news.”

Noctis nodded his agreement. “Let’s get to work then. Like she said, we have some catching up to do.” 

Cindy grinned and spun on her heels. “C’mon, boys, right this way!” she said, waving them to follow. 

“Roll her in while I’m still young!” Cid’s harsh voice echoed from within the garage.

There were a few groans and a few sighs, but the men resumed pushing the Regalia with Lyndel trailing behind, following Cindy toward the shop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooof... sorry for the delay, kids. I could make excuses, but I won’t bore you with that. I’ll try to do better, but even if I’m slow, I promise I’m not letting this just die off!


	18. "More conservative than I had feared"

“No need for a blow dryer out here,” Lyndel said to herself as she combed her fingers through her long wet hair. 

The options for accommodations in Hammer Head were limited to an aging caravan that sat to the side of the parking lot or camping under the stars again. Though Gladio had campaigned hard for the latter, the rest of the party overruled him and they quickly moved into the little trailer. It wasn’t in the best of shape, but despite the dings and scratches it was clean, had running water, and an air conditioning unit that worked fairly well. After the dust and sweat of the road, anything with a shower felt like a five star hotel in Lyn’s opinion. 

Despite wanting to linger under the cool water, she had tried to be quick, as her grumbling stomach was almost outcompeting her desire to be clean. The gentlemen of the group had already showered and changed, having gotten a head start while Cindy pulled Lyndel aside to loan her some clothes. It was an offer that had surprised and intimidated Lyn, as her own sense of style was more… modest than that of the mechanic. But any chance at not having to parade around in Prompto’s old tee shirt was one to be taken. 

A gentle knock on the bedroom door pulled Lyn from her thoughts, but she was dressed and nearly ready, so she called out permission to come in. It was Ignis who entered, dressed as casually as she had ever seen him in a heather shirt and dark navy jeans. It was certain to be cooler in the desert heat than his usual suits. 

Lyndel didn't miss the way his green eyes flicked over her body, taking in her new attire. A simple cotton sundress of yellow and blue hung on her shoulders, strappy and not too fitted, feminine yet comfortable in the heat of Leide.

“It’s more conservative than I had feared,” he finally said with a nod of satisfaction.

“Than you had feared?” Lyn repeated, feeling slightly amused. “So you don’t want me walking around in a bikini top and short shorts? Should I be offended?”

He laughed and shook his head. “You mistake my meaning. I just don’t want to see Prompto staring at you the way he did Cindy.”

Lyn snorted, returning her attention to the mirror and continuing to work on the tangles in her hair. “He was pretty taken with her, wasn’t he?”

Instead of a reply, she felt Ignis step behind her and place his hands on her shoulders, stilling her movements. She watched their reflection as his gaze met hers in the mirror. “I suppose I know how he feels,” he said slowly. “I find I can hardly keep my own eyes off you.”

Long fingers lightly grazed over the exposed skin of her shoulders as Ignis idly played with the thin straps of her borrowed dress. “Aren’t I lucky that the object of my attention has been so focused on me as well?”

Lyndel felt her face grow warm with embarrassment and frustration. So he had noticed the way she watched him when he pushed the car. DId nothing get by this man? Dating someone who analyses things for a living was hardly fair in scenarios like this. Oh well, she thought to herself. Nothing to do about it but play along.

She turned from the mirror to face him, donning what she hoped was a flirtatious smile to hide her chagrin. “Well, can you blame me?” she asked, letting her own fingers creep up the front of his shirt, fondling a few buttons as they moved. “You’re always so poised and polished. Seeing you working up a sweat was a treat.”

“Is that so?” Ignis replied, his eyebrows arching upward. “Perhaps a closer look is in order then?”

Before Lyn had a chance to reply, his mouth had captured hers in a kiss. Unlike the warm but gentle kiss they had shared the night before, today there was no reservation in Ignis’ movements. His mouth was insistent, needy, and spoke of all the impatience that had also been building inside of Lyndel as she had watched him all morning. Her own lips parted, and he quickly accepted the invitation to deepen the kiss, slipping his tongue past to dance with hers. 

Her hands reached upward, fingers twisting in his hair, holding him close and giving him the opportunity to move his own hands down her body. Ignis explored her sides, molding his hands against her rib cage, her hips, and back up again. One of his thumbs brushed the side of her breast, a move she was certain was no accident, causing Lyn to gasp against his mouth. When his long fingers slid down again, caressing her back and pulling her tightly against him, she couldn’t help but whimper at the feeling. His fingers left searing trails wherever they moved, which only served to stoke the smouldering pit in her core. 

He was pressed up against her front, impossibly close and frustratingly just beyond the barrier of their clothing. Suddenly Lyndel’s light summer dress felt like the thickest wool, trapping and stifling her, keeping her apart from the man before her. She shifted against him, relishing the pressure and heat of his body. Always the opportunist, Ignis took advantage of her squirming, stepping forward with one of his long legs. It forced her own step backward, deeper into the little room, where the back of her calf brushed up against the bed. 

Lyndel stilled, the reality of the situation suddenly heavy on her shoulders. She wanted Ignis. Oh, how badly she wanted him. But the prince and his retinue were waiting just outside of the creaky old camper. As difficult as it was to deny herself, now was not exactly the ideal time to give into her desires.

Ignis, sensing her hesitation, pulled back slightly to catch her gaze. Her fingers gripped his shirt at the shoulders, willing herself to say the words she really didn’t want to say. 

“If we keep up like this, I won’t be able to hold back,” Lyndel finally admitted, the tremble in her voice surprising her.

His eyes darkened at the implication. “They could wait a little longer outside,” he suggested, that voice of his just above a whisper and silky smooth. 

The very sound made her knees weaken and Lyndel tightened her grip in response. Her mind swam, trying desperately to remember the reasons why jumping into bed with this man was _not_ an option. “They’ll hear us,” she replied with some difficulty. 

He kissed her again, teeth grazing her lower lip. “You can be quiet, can’t you darling?”

“No,” Lyn replied, finding a sudden internal strength that both impressed and surprised her. As much as she wanted him, needed to be closer to him, Lyndel knew that her feelings for Ignis were not something that should be rushed through. He was perfect, and they both deserved for their first time together to be perfect as well. She pulled away, eyes once again connecting with his. “I don’t _want_ to be quiet. I don’t want to be rushed. Not with you. Not the first time.”

Ignis studied her face with an intensity that nearly made her flinch. But he finally closed his eyes and leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers. She felt him breathe in deeply, a breath to steady and compose himself. Lyn found herself doing the same, savoring the warmth of his body so close to hers, the scent of his skin and the feeling of his strong fingers as they dug into her hips, grasping her with the same desperation her body felt. If he didn’t agree, she knew she wouldn’t have the self control to tell him “no” again. 

“You’re right,” he finally said, pulling away. 

Lyndel found herself simultaneously relieved and greatly disappointed. 

Ignis’ hands trailed down her arms as he took a step backward, then dropped completely, effectively freeing her from his touch. “I apologize,” he said, his green eyes turning to the floor. “I find myself insatiable when it comes to you. I usually have more restraint than this.”

Lyn nodded and rubbed her arms, feeling suddenly chilled. Was it the air conditioning in the trailer after being in the sun all morning? Or was it the loss of his heat against her body? “Yeah, I know just what you mean,” she said. “I feel like every time I touch you, I’m hungry for more.”

He opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off when a loud growl came from Lyndel’s stomach. “Hungry indeed,” he said with a chuckle as she grinned sheepishly. He reached for the door with one hand and held the other out to her. “At least we can at least satisfy one of those desires,” Ignis said.

\------

“I just don’t see how you could eat something as spicy as jambalaya on such a hot day,” Lyndel said, a teasing smile on her lips as she gestured across the table at Gladio’s dish. 

The big man snorted and shot her a smile of his own. “Everything’s hot and spicy around me,” he replied, making the other men at the table groan and roll their eyes. 

Ignis found himself agreeing with Lyndel, though the menu at Takka’s Pit Stop left little in the way of options. They had produced a fairly palatable cold brewed coffee, however, so he wasn’t about to complain. 

“It’s so nice of CIndy to drop all her other projects to work on the Regalia,” Prompto muttered around his sandwich. “Isn’t she amazing?”

Ignis threw him a withering glance. “Yes. It’s a shame she’s not here to be impressed by your manners.”

The blonde man swallowed and reached for his drink. “I’m so hungry. I can’t help it.”

Stifling a sigh, Ignis turned his attention towards the prince. Noctis had been picking at his food, which was a good sign. Though still a bit gloomy, and understandably so, he seemed to be in better spirits since hearing the news of Lady Lunafreya coming through town. 

“Cindy said she would be sending someone to Lestallum to pick up some parts,” Lyndel said, interrupting his thoughts. “If anyone needs anything, she said she could request it. I asked for some more clothes so I won’t have to keep borrowing hers.”

Prompto paused mid-bite, a french fry halfway in his mouth. “That’s Cindy’s dress?” he asked, his voice taking on a tone of reverence.

Lyndel raised an eyebrow. “Yes, and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t stare at me while you picture her wearing it.”

Gladio laughed at that one, reaching over to slap Prompto on the shoulder. “Yeah, quit being a creep!” 

Clearing his throat, Ignis thought it best to steer the conversation back to more pressing matters. “If she has to pick up more parts, then the car won’t be ready today,” he said. “That’s just as well, as in a few hours we won’t have enough time to reach our destination before nightfall. So now, we play the waiting game.”

“Aw, I never liked that game,” Prompto groaned. 

Noctis nudged him with his elbow. “Never any good at it, either. But I’d think you’d be glad to hang around-”

The prince’s voice was cut off by a buzzing sound, accompanied by several beeps. The five at the table froze in place, each halfway convinced they were imagining things. But after a brief pause, the noise repeated itself. 

“Noct,” Ignis said slowly, “your phone is ringing.”

Clumsy with excitement, Noctis dropped his fork with a clatter and shoved his hands into his pockets, fishing hastily for the device. His glowing phone surfaced, and the prince glanced at the screen before wordlessly holding it up to his ear. 

“Cor?” Noctis asked.

Ignis found himself leaning forward in his seat, straining in vain to interpret the other side of the conversation from his friend’s expression. The prince closed his blue eyes and lowered his head, dark hair falling forward to hide his face. 

“Yeah, we should be there tomorrow,” he said. “Did Luna make it alright?”

Whatever the Marshall’s answer, it wasn’t what Noct was hoping to hear. With a hiss, he pushed himself from the table and stalked out of the diner, phone still pressed to his ear. 

Prompto also moved to stand, but Ignis barked at everyone to stay. “Wait here,” he said, doing his best to keep calm as he watched Noctis through the window. “We’ll find out the news soon enough.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is short and unedited. I'll probably go back and rectify the latter later.
> 
> Next chapter: Luna and Nyx!


	19. Sunset

A sedan made its way down the bumpy roads of Leide. Drab in color and unassuming in design, no one ever would have guessed that such a modest car carried such prestigious cargo. And that was exactly the reason Nyx Ulric had decided to steal it. Sure, it was against the law and wrong and blah blah blah, but when you’re trying to get the Oracle out of a crumbling palace without being spotted by enemies that wanted to kill you, you don’t worry about morality.

Nyx risked a glance at the woman sitting next to him. Lady Lunafreya had been staring out the passenger side window for most of the journey, occasionally fingering the ring that hung around her neck on a silver chain. She has been quiet this morning and the previous night, and he certainly wasn’t familiar enough to know whether she was upset or simply introverted, or a little of both. It was pretty reasonable, he figured, that the princess would be a little shell shocked and probably worried sick about the general state of the world. But while he was also concerned about the kingdom and their own safety, Nyx had been through enough battles to be able to compartmentalize his feelings, pushing them aside to deal with later. 

And silence just bugged the shit outta him. 

“First thing I do when we get to the Outpost,” he began, “is have one of those garula sandwiches. You ever have one of those? This region is famous for having the best sirloin in Eos.”

Lunafreya pulled her eyes from the passenger side window and regarded him in silence for a moment. For several long seconds, Nyx wondered if she was going to speak at all, or if she was going to go back to keeping her thoughts to herself. 

“I think I’d be satisfied with simply getting out of these shoes,” the Oracle finally said with a tired smile. 

Nyx glanced over and down, and Lunafreya lifted her white gown just enough to reveal the silver heels that covered her feet. He shook his head. “Astrals. I don’t know how you women put up with those things.”

The girl looked slightly amused. “They’re usually not terribly painful. But they’re not exactly proper when running for one’s life.”

“Go ahead and take them off now, if they’re hurting you,” he replied, moving his eyes back to the road ahead. 

At his side, Lunafreya shifted slightly. Though she kept her posture straight and her hands peacefully folded in her lap, Nyx couldn’t help but think the small movement looked something like a squirm of discomfort. 

“That would be… improper,” she quietly replied. 

Nyx didn’t bother to hide his shock at the statement. “Improper? To show your feet?”

Lunafreya shifted in her seat, turning towards him. Though he tried to keep his eyes on the road, Nyx found it incredibly difficult not to meet and hold the girl’s crystal blue gaze. 

“You must understand, Nyx,” she began, and Nyx felt his fingers tighten around the steering wheel at the sound of his name on her lips. “My station as Oracle is one I’ve held since I was a child. Everything I do, all of my actions in public or private, are held to a different standard than that of any other person.”

His eyes narrowed and a hot flash of anger raced through him. “You think I’m going to go tell everyone you took your shoes off in the car? That I’d brag about the scandal of seeing your bare toes? Should I take pictures and share them with the media?”

Lunafreya laid a gentle hand on his arm, both surprising him and cooling his rage at once. “No, Nyx. I trust you.”

He let out a breath, slowly, feeling his temper evaporate as easily as a drop of water in the heat of Leide. How was it that a few simple words from this girl could rile him up and calm him down so quickly and so easily? 

She sighed and turned to face forward in her seat again, her fingers slipping from his arm and leaving a cold spot where they had once been. When she spoke again, her voice was still quiet, but rivers of sadness seeped through her words. “My mother was killed when I was a little girl. My brother became distant, twisted by his own hatred. I was forced to take on the role of the Oracle very early in my life, and was thrust into the public eye. To make things worse, the Imperial Chancellor was always looking over my shoulder.”

Nyx risked a glance in her direction, but Lunafreya’s blue eyes were fixed on the road ahead. “I’ve always had to be perfect,” she continued, “I sometimes feel that I’m more a symbol than a person. What’s more, I’ve never been allowed to get close enough to friends or family to express my honest feelings. Therefore, I’ll have to ask your forgiveness in my hesitation to let my guard down.”

Pity wrapped its cold fingers around his heart as Nyx mused over her words. Sure, as a member of the Kingsglaive he had to follow orders and keep to a certain code of behavior. But that was nothing like what Lunafreya was describing. She had no down time where she could vent with comrades or loosen up at the bar. As the Oracle, there was no punching out when you’re done with work. And as far as having friends to talk to… well, who could really understand and relate to her position? It all sounded so very lonely. 

“What about the prince?” he found himself asking, as soon as the thought popped into his head. “Do you… open up to him?”

The princess’ mouth quirked into a melancholy smile and she turned her eyes to her lap. “Noctis and I were friends as children, before the fall of Tenebrae. But in the years since then we’ve had little contact at best. So no, I’m afraid we haven't had much time to get to know each other at all. I think this moment is actually the most candid I’ve been with another person in… years.”

“You know,” Nyx began, slowly. He was treading on dangerous ground, and he knew it full well. But … astrals. Lunafreya was so strong and beautiful and pure and _perfect_ , and she was sitting right next to him. If he didn’t say something here and now, he might never get the chance, and would be kicking himself forever. His right hand slipped from the steering wheel to cover both of hers where they lay in her lap. He felt the girl still beneath his touch, but she didn’t pull away. 

The glaive swallowed and plunged ahead. “You don’t have to marry him.”

Lunafreya’s eyes snapped up to search his face. Her lips parted in an unvoiced question, and Nyx took it as a signal to continue. “I mean, your marriage to the prince was a condition of the peace treaty. The empire obviously broke that treaty last night. I don’t think you’re tied to anyone anymore.”

“Nyx,” she replied, slowly, carefully. “What are you sa-”

Her voice was cut off by the growing roar of the engine of a large, black sports car. So distracted by the woman at his side, Nyx had failed to see the car race up the road behind and pull up alongside them. He turned to throw a glare at the driver, but didn’t even get a chance to see the other person before the car lurched into theirs, sending it spinning off the road. 

———

Light.

Such a bright, blinding white light after falling into darkness.

Lunafreya squeezed her eyes shut against the light and against the pain that was throbbing inside her skull. She took a quick inventory of other feelings; the scratch of dirt against her bare arms and where her cheek rested against the ground, the heat of the desert sun on her fair skin, soreness… definitely bruises. 

Her other senses began to come into focus. Luna could hear something, some garish noise ringing against her ears. It wasn’t close enough to be a danger, but it certainly didn’t help her headache. With some trepidation, she squinted her eyes open to better take in her surroundings. But there wasn’t much to see from her vantage point of laying flat on the ground. The Oracle groaned inwardly and placed her palms on either side of her head, pushing herself up into a sitting position. There, she brushed the golden brown dust from her body as best she could, blue eyes now fully open and swirling around, her mind searching her body for any sudden pain that might indicate more serious injury. 

Their car wasn’t far away, but it wasn’t more than crumpled wreckage now, as was the black car that had rammed into them. The dogs, Pyrna and Umbra, sat nearby, watching her calmly. And Nyx… Luna turned to her right to set her eyes in Nyx, who was fully engaged in battle with another man.

With a start, Lunafreya got to her feet, ignoring the wave of dizziness that threatened to push her back down. It wasn’t just any man Nyx was fighting, she noticed. She recognized his stocky build, shortly cropped brown hair, and clothing accented with crimson. It was the traitorous glaive, the captain that had struck down King Regis. Had he followed them all this way? 

No, that couldn’t be right. Nyx has said there was a rendezvous point to the north, where everyone was instructed to head in case of evacuation from the Citadel. Being a glaive himself, their enemy must have known of that plan in advance and come upon them while on the road. Lunafreya clenched her teeth together in worry. She hadn’t given much thought to the idea of a turncoat having infiltrated the ranks of the king. What other enemies knew of their destination? 

But for now, the Oracle had more pressing matters at hand. She turned, her eyes searching the wreckage of the car for her trident. Nyx seemed to be holding his own against his opponent, but she wasn’t exactly useless in a fight. Perhaps she could distract the traitor while-

“He is equipped to handle this confrontation on his own,,” a familiar voice came from behind. Lunafreya whirled to find a tall, ebony haired woman standing nearby. Gentiana faced the battle, hands folded across her midsection, lips turned slightly upward in interest. To the casual observer, it might appear that the woman was watching Nyx fight, though Gentiana’s eyes remained closed. 

Lunafreya, however, knew the dark-haired woman saw everything. And if Gentiana believed that Nyx could handle this particular fight, she wouldn’t argue. Instead, she simply nodded and turned, taking her place at her companion’s side as a spectator. 

They stood in silence for several minutes, side by side, two woman flanked by two dogs that also sat patiently, dark eyes focused on the battle before them. The small group seemed a stark contrast to the two soldiers. The men swung heavy weapons, fast and powerful, each clang of metal on metal a scream of hatred that echoed through the desert landscape. The watchers, however, were calm, still, and quiet. 

Lunafreya watched with a sense of helplessness that felt terribly familiar. She had lived the majority of her life as a captive of the Nifelheim empire in all but title. Being surrounded by soldiers and their wars was nothing new, and being told to simply sit back and watch without being able to help or interfere was a position she was used to playing. Though outwardly, she appeared to be peacefully composed, the Oracle was internally seething at being pushed to the sidelines. 

But the longer she watched the battle, the more Luna’s thoughts turned from frustration to unease. There was something off about the way the two glaives were fighting. Nyx was a strong warrior; she had witnessed that first hand during their escape from the Citadel. Though more of an appreciator of peace than war, Lunafreya had been impressed with his skill. There was something more, however, to this encounter. Nyx was moving faster than the princess remembered. His strikes were even more precise, carried more weight, and seemed to set his nemesis back on his heels. His defense was perfect, as if he expected the other man’s blows before they even came. 

Lunafreya frowned. While she supposed she should be happy about her guardian’s amazing skill, her suspicion was rising. She glanced toward her companion, and found that Gentiana had turned towards her with expectation. 

“The way he’s fighting,” Luna found herself saying, “It’s not… natural.” It was more of a question than a statement, and Gentiana gave a small nod in response. 

“He has assistance,” the messenger said, simply. 

Confused, Luna turned her blue eyes back toward the makeshift battlefield, watching the two warriors for any hint of Nyx’s aid. Seconds ticked by, marked only by the sound of impacting steel, grunts of effort from the glaives, and the gritty sweeping of sand beneath their feet. The enemy was knocked to the ground and Nyx started toward him, kuris sweeping high to deliver a fatal blow. The traitor rolled away, Nyx turned to follow, and a flash of sunlight glinted off his left hand. 

Luna felt as though her heart dropped into the ground beneath her. Her own hands reached toward her neck, to the ring and chain that should have been hanging there, only to find it gone. “Oh no,” she whispered. 

Gentiana, as always, had answers. “The ring broke loose during the crash,” she said, her voice as calm as ever. “The glaive was injured, and couldn’t defend you from the attacker. He found the ring and put it on, and the kings of old granted him favor.”

Tears flooded Lunafreya’s eyes. She knew better than to accept this power as a blessing. “At what cost?”

“One he felt was worth paying,” The dark-haired woman replied with a slow shake of her head. She turned her attention back to the fight before them, and Luna did the same. 

The confrontation didn’t last much longer. The Oracle watched through blurred vision as the man who rescued her from the Citadel, and from the Niflheim empire, fought to continue to protect her. A man she didn’t even know, really, though he seemed to be so concerned with her future as well as her present. 

While Nyx was boosted by supernatural powers granted by the ring, the rogue glaive didn’t stand a chance, though he fought like a cornered voretooth. Finally, he fell to his back, weaponless hands extended before him as if to block Nyx’s killing blow. Lunafreya turned her eyes from the scene as her guardian brought his blades down on the enemy before him. When she looked back, Nyx stool over a lifeless body.

Gentiana was gone, vanished sometime during the clash, but Lunafreya had long since given up thinking much about the comings and goings of the woman, if she could be called such a thing. Instead, she took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and picked her way across the desert to get to Nyx’s side.

He was seated when she arrived, slumped forward, elbows on his knees, eyes fixed on the ground before him. He glanced up at her approach and actually cracked a small smile, crinkling the skin around his blue eyes. Lunafreya felt herself returning the smile, though she had only just willed herself to stop weeping. 

His gaze moved down to his hands, and Luna’s eyes followed his to see the Ring of the Lucii twirling idlily between his fingers. She felt her breath catch, but remained silent, waiting. Waiting for the bad news she knew would be coming. 

“Tell the prince Titus Drautos is dead,” Nyx finally said, raising his eyes to meet hers again. “Gladiolus will want to know too, I’m sure. I’d tell them myself but…”

He huffed a chuckle and shook his head. “It’s probably a good thing I only get to use this once. It’s power is addicting.”

He glaive raised his hand, stretching his arm out to offer the Ring to Luna. She hesitated, but eventually extended her own hand to take it. Nyx places the ring in her palm and closed her fingers around it, the little metal thing suddenly feeling so heavy in her grasp. On impulse, Lunafreya used her free hand to cover his, trapping his fingers with her touch. 

“How long?” she whispered, hardly trusting her own voice. 

Nyx looked surprised, but didn’t turn away from her gaze. “The past kings gave me ‘til sundown,” he said. 

Luna felt the pinpricks of tears in her eyes again. “Nyx,” she said, her voice cracking. “I’m sorry-“

“Hey, no,” the glaive was quick to cut her off, pulling her towards him with a gentle tug. Lunafreya dipped into her knees before him, their hands still clasped together around the Ring, their matching blue eyes never breaking contact. 

“I’m not sorry,” Nyx continued. “I made the choice to give my life for Lucis years ago when I joined the Kingsglaive. And I made the choice to protect you last night. I’d make the same decision a thousand times over.”

A tear fell, Luna felt its trail down her cheek, hot, then cooling in the afternoon breeze. The man before her watched it fall, wincing visibly as it did. “Please don’t cry, Princess,” he said, his voice just above a whisper. 

She swallowed, her mouth dry, her heart sinking. “I just don’t know what else to do,” she admitted, the familiar feeling of helplessness wrapping around her like a heavy blanket. 

“You get your ass up and go meet the prince,” Nyx said, the conviction in his voice surprising her. “You’ll have to walk, but you can get there before dark if you start now. You get to safety, then you save the rest of this fucked up world.” 

Despite her sadness, Lunafreya let out a short laugh at his words. No one dared to speak to her the way Nyx Ulric did. Raw, open, honest. She would miss that. 

“Can you walk with me?”

He shook his head. “I hurt my leg during the crash,” Nyx said, stretching his left leg out to show a blood stain on his thigh. “I’d slow you down. Besides, I’ve got a real nice view of the sunset here.” 

He met her eyes again. “But you need to get going.” 

Lunafreya hesitated, but let go of his hands and climbed to her feet. There, she paused again. “Thank you, Nyx,” she finally said. “Thank you for everything.” 

She leaned down to glance a gentle kiss on the man’s cheek, his stubble rough on her soft lips, his skin smelling of sweat and ash. When Lunafreya pulled back, Nyx was grinning like a little boy being handed an ice cream cone. 

“You’re perfect, you know that?” he said, his words coming out like a sigh. 

She smiled at the compliment, even if she didn’t agree. Clutching the Ring in her hands, Lunafreya took one last look at her savior and turned to walk back to the road, heading north. 

Alone, again.  
——

Nyx watched her go, watched her walk away until she was a tiny light speck in the distance. It was okay this way, he told himself. He was okay.

She had touched him, kissed him, even as chaste as the kiss had been, it had been more than he ever would have asked for. She had smiled before leaving him forever, and that was exactly the memory he wanted to take to the afterlife. 

The sun was beginning to sink into the hills, and Nyx remained seated, watching it fall in silence. Until he heard a ruffle nearby.

He turned on his rock to find a bird perched on a boulder next to him. A big, black crow that examined him with beady eyes. Nyx chuckled and nodded to the creature. 

“Here to keep me company?” He asked. The bird simply watched him in response. 

“You know, I had a friend named Crowe once. I guess it’s nice to have another friend around.” 

The crow snapped its beak, making a clacking sound, before turning to preen its glassy feathers. Nyx watched it before turning his attention back to the sun. 

“Not the worst way to go,” he said, leaning back into a more comfortable position. “Rule well young king. And queen.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, Nyx. It had to be done.
> 
> Next chapter: Luna and Noct are reunited! There may or may not be many feelings and sexy times ahead. After that, we get back to Iggy and Lyn.


	20. Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for the kind comments! Wow, I didn’t expect some of the reactions. You people are amazing.
> 
> Fair warning... This chapter hasn’t been edited much. I wrote half of it, then deleted it and completely changed direction. I had planned for this conversation, but didn’t initially intend for it to happen at this point in the story, but it felt right to me. He needs someone to cling to, and she needs him to grow up. Maybe I rushed Noct’s development a bit, but I just can’t stand whiny Noctis. So he’s maturing a little faster here than he did in the game. But don’t worry... he won’t be all serious and adult-like for the entire story.

It wasn’t until late in the afternoon the following day that the Regalia crept out of Hammer Head. Ignis has voiced some concern that they were pushing their small window of daylight, hinting that it might be wise to play it safe and stay another night. But Noctis would have none of it. 

In fact, he had wanted to hit the road on foot after getting the call from Cor during lunch with the news that Lunafreya hadn’t yet made it to the outpost. She and Nyx has left early enough in the morning that they should have arrive by the time he heard from the marshall. If something was wrong, Noct had reasoned, he might be able to catch up with them and help. Or at least to know what was going on. 

But all of his friends had advised against that, and eventually Noct had relented, though he spent most of the day questioning that decision. Minutes, then hours ticked by slowly, and the prince became more and more irritable as his phone continued to remain silent. 

It was just about sundown when the device finally beeped, and Cor’s rough voice had informed Noctis that the Oracle has indeed made it safely to the outpost. She had arrived alone, and though Noct requested to speak with her, Cor had suggested he let the girl rest. More relieved than anything else, Noctis let the matter drop and was able to sleep somewhat peacefully that night. 

He had tried calling twice the following day, but was again told that Luna was indisposed, for one reason or another, and Noct felt familiar worry and frustration creeping back into his mind. Was unable to speak because she had been hurt? The marshall has said she was fine, aside from a few bumps and bruises. Noctis couldn’t shake the feeling that his fiancé simply did not want to talk to him, and that feeling only grew as the day passed.

So when Cindy had announced that the car was ready, the prince insisted they leave without hesitation. Though Ignis would have rather played it safe, he knew better than to push his already frustrated friend. 

The outpost came into view, and as Gladio had said before, it wasn’t much to look at. Another camper to provide lodging, a few buildings that were obviously put together for purpose rather than comfort or aesthetics, and a few hunters here and there who watched the Regalia’s arrival with varying levels of interest. 

Ignis was only just shifting the car into park when Noctis hoisted himself up and over the door and onto the dusty ground. His mind was focused on a single purpose: finding the person who had occupied his thoughts more than any other, and seeing that she was safe with his own eyes.

Gravel crunches under his boots and Prompto cried out for him to “wait up”, but Noctis was focused on what he could see, not hear. A few of the hunters stood, looking as dirty, and rough as one might expect from people who live on the outskirts of civilization. Noctis’ crystal blue eyes swept their faces, seeing no one he recognized. No one, until a figure in black exited a building and approached him. 

“At last, your highness,” Cor said in greeting, his voice as rough as the road beneath their feet. The older man’s eyes swept over him, quickly inspecting him for wounds before giving a curt nod and doing the same to the rest of the party as they gathered behind. “When I heard the news over the radio, I feared the worst.”

“It couldn’t get much worse,” Noctis snapped back. “Where’s Luna?”

The older man hesitated. “She’s resting,” he replied. “She had a trying time getting here.” 

Anger pumped through the prince’s veins. “SHE had a trying time? I think we all did!” 

He heard Ignis’ even voice speak his name, but his adviser’s calming words would have to wait. He stepped toward the marshall. “Tell me where to find her,” Noctis demanded, his first spoken order since the death of his father. 

“I’m here, Noctis,” a gentle voice came from his right, and Noct whirled to find the princess of Tenebrae standing in the doorway of one of the shanties. She was clad in a grey tee shirt and jeans, tangled blond hair in a ponytail, red scratches highlighting one of her cheekbones, and bare feet. 

Noctis exhaled heavily. She had never looked so damn good. 

He started in her direction, and the Oracle moved aside to allow him inside before following him in and closing the door. Noct didn’t know or care what the rest of his friends were doing in that moment, all his thoughts focused on the girl before him.

—-

Lunafreya watched the prince carefully as his eyes swept the tiny room, taking in their surroundings. She should be embarrassed, standing barefoot in this dusty cabin, her borrowed bed unmade and her tattered ball gown tossed in the corner like a used rag. But she found she couldn’t quite bring herself to care about her surroundings or her own appearance, for once in her life. She waited, patiently, for Noctis to find his voice.

“You’re alright?” he finally asked, blue eyes coming back to look her over. 

Luna nodded. “Nothing broken. A few bruises and scratches,” she said, her finger reaching upward to trace the mark on her cheek. The scratches the grown had given her when she was thrown from the car. Just before Nyx…

Her hand snapped back down to her side, and she looked back up at Noctis. “And you?” 

He nodded in response, slowly. 

The silence between them was growing uncomfortable. Lunafreya found her mind scrambling for something to say. For purpose. 

“The darkness of the empire cannot be left unchecked,” she finally said. “As Oracle, it is my duty to help the king-“

“I don’t care about that right now,” Noctis snapped, cutting her off. 

Luna was taken aback. “You must, Noctis! What else is there to care about?”

He regarded her with a frown, his deep, blue eyes suddenly swimming with sorrow. Hurt. Guilt. “I care about you,” Noctis whispered quietly.

Lunafreya’s mouth fell open. That hadn’t been what she expected. All of her carefully practiced poise evaporated and she stared dumbly at the prince before her. 

He ran his fingers through his hair and let out a breath. “That wasn’t what I meant to say. I mean, it’s true but…” He turned around the room as if searching for answers. “When I didn’t know what had happened to you, and I didn’t hear from you at all, and I couldn’t even talk to you, I just… I felt like I was drowning.”

The Oracle frowned, her eyes narrowing. When she found her voice, Luna was fairly certain her words were not what the prince was hoping to hear. “But you never spoke to me. You never touched me unless you were forced to hold my hand.” Noctis flinched, but Luna pushes onward, her trembling voice gaining volume. “At the ball, you didn’t even want to be around me. You spent more time with your friends. Noctis, you haven’t even written to me since we were children!”

Noct opened his mouth to speak, but it was her turn to cut him off. “How can you say you care for me?,” Lunafreya asked, her voice growing cold. “You hardly know me.”

The scraping of boots on a wooden floor punctuated the silence as Noctis shifted his weight from one foot to another. 

“I know,” he finally said. 

Luna has been expecting a rebuttal. She had always been fond of Noctis, but as long as she had known him, he had been a proud boy. The last thing she expected him to admit was his own wrongdoing. 

The prince continued, though Luna still refused to meet his eyes. “I was angry. At my father. At the world for forcing me into a situation I had no control over. No one asked me if I was ready for a wedding, for a _wife_. After that would have been the crown and I definitely wasn’t ready to take over the whole kingdom. But no one cared what I wanted or how I felt.”

He paused, and Lunafreya saw him flex his hands out of the corner of her eye, his own way of fidgeting. “I felt afraid, Luna,” he slowly admitted. 

“You didn’t think,” she replied, turning her eyes back to meet his, “that I was feeling the same things?” 

He averted his gaze then, cheeks coloring with shame. 

Lunafreya sighed. His honesty was certainly welcome, and it effectively cooled her temper. When she spoke again, her voice had lose its edge. 

“I cared for you when we were children,” she said. “I was hurt when you didn’t write after leaving Tenebrae, but I suppose with the empire holding me in its grasp, that would have been difficult, even dangerous.” 

“You don’t have to make excuses for me, Luna,” Noctis began, but she continued. 

“When I was told that we were to be married, I was afraid, and I felt powerless as well. But I also remembered the shy little boy who would read books with me in my mother’s library. I remembered the way you looked at me with those beautiful blue eyes of yours. They always seemed full of wonder and adoration. I hoped you hadn’t changed.”

Their eyes met again, and he seemed to hold his breath as he waited for her to continue. 

“Nyx brought up a point on the way here,” she said slowly. “The peace treaty was broken, and we are not under further obligation to wed.”

Noctis looked as though he had been slapped across face. “But…”

Lunafreya glanced out the window at the darkening sky. Gods, she felt such heavy darkness these days. 

“I will always serve you, as the Oracle always serves and supports the king. But now you have the choice you wanted, King Noctis,” he started at her words, but said nothing. 

“This wedding was thrust upon you without anyone considering your thoughts or feelings. Now, someone is asking your opinion. What do you want?” 

The prince… no, the _king_ looked stunned, but quickly composed himself. “You say we hardly know each other, but that’s not true at all. I remember our time together too. How you’d patiently explain things to me that I should have already known. How you held my hand when the pain from my injuries flared up. You were always steadfast and loyal and kind. You still are.

“My answer hasn’t changed,” he continued. “I want you.”

He took a step forward, but paused again. “Luna, what do you want?” Noctis asked. 

Another surprise. The king could have simply ordered her obedience, and he knew she would have complied. 

But that was a question, wasn’t it? No one had ever asked Lunafreya Nox Fleuret to be selfish. No one ever asked what she wanted. She searched her heart, but even in sifting through her own desires and confusion, her most pressing desire was shared by her identity as the Oracle. 

“I want to save the world,” she said. Her eyes moved back to meet his. “We can do it together.” 

Noctis paused, his mind sorting through her words, trying to find an answer that matched his question. Lunafreya’s own mind did the same. 

As if settling on an idea, the boy before her shook his hair back from his eyes, squared his shoulders and drew himself to his full height. His eyes seemed to grow darker, or was that just the fading light through the window? Lunafreya felt her own eyes widen at the change. This wasn’t Prince Noctis, the boy who had pouted his way through the engagement ball. This was King Noctis, focused, powerful, in control, and staring right at her.

“Let me show you want you mean to me,” the man said. He reached out his hand, but didn’t move to grab her. He simply offered it for her to take, if she was willing.

“Luna,” Noctis said, his voice hardly above a whisper, but carrying emotion and meaning that startled her. “Can I touch you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess what happens in the next chapter!


	21. ***And then Noctis moved.***

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, friends. Here’s how Jane writes about sexy times.
> 
> I understand that some people might just want to skip to that, and some might want to skip over it. Either is fine! 
> 
> So I’ll make chapters with sex with ***stars***. These chapters are not necessarily important to the plot, so they can be easily skipped if such things aren’t your favorite reading material. Or skipped to reading just them, if you’re looking for a quick fix.
> 
> That said... let’s get on with it, shall we?

“Let me show you want you mean to me,” the man said. He reached out his hand, but didn’t move to grab her. He simply offered it for her to take, if she was willing.

“Luna,” Noctis said, his voice hardly above a whisper, but carrying emotion and meaning that startled her. “Can I touch you?” 

Again, he was giving her a choice, and again, Lunafreya hesitated to react. She wasn’t used to this. She lived her life with purpose and obligation , never wavering from what she _should_ do. After years of serving the rest of the world, making decisions based on what she _wanted_ to do felt foreign. Along with the emotions that came along with their previous conversation, was a lot to process in a short amount of time. She felt vulnerable, having just spoken the feelings that were in her own heart. But powerful, that the Chosen King was waiting for her permission . 

The king was waiting for an answer, though. Lunafreya looked down at his outstretched hand, then back up to his eyes. He looked resolved, but also slightly afraid. It was an raw and attractive combination. She took a small step forward and took his hand. 

It was as if her touch brought him to life again. Noctis went from standing stalk still to moving forward. His hand closed around hers and he took a step towards her, eliminating any distance between them. His free hand moved to her face, the backs of his fingers brushing against her cheek, mindful of her scratches. Every movement was graceful, slow, gentle, but certain and with purpose. Luna found herself slightly jealous that this man knew exactly what his own desires were, while she floundered.

His hand moved underneath her chin, tilting her head upward to meet his eyes. “If I go too far… if it’s too much, please tell me, Luna,” Noctis said, his voice dark, quiet, but forceful. 

His closeness, his hands, his eyes… it all felt overwhelming. Suffocating, almost. But suffocating in a way that made Lunafreya think that perhaps she didn’t need air after all. She gave a slight nod in agreement, feeling somewhat thankful that Noct was giving her an exit, should she need one. 

The king’s movements were slow, but there was no question about his goal. His head tilted downward, holding her eyes with his until both pairs slipped closed. Ever so gently, so tenderly, he pressed his lips to hers. 

He was soft and warm, a contrast to his hands, which were calloused and powerful from training. They moved against her own mouth, speaking in ways that his words never could as the kiss intensified. He was strong, but barely in control. He was needy. Desperate. Desperate for her, but cautious, for fear of scaring her away. 

The kiss felt… natural, Lunafreya realized. It felt as though something had been missing from her life without her even realizing she needed it. The princess’ hands moved almost on their own accord, raising higher, fingertips sweeping against Noctis’ neck and upward to weave themselves into his dark hair. She needed him to be closer.

A moan echoed from Noctis’s throat at her touch, quiet enough that Luna wouldn’t have heard it had she not been nearly pressed up against him. The sound sent electricity up and down her spine and settled into a ball of lightning in her stomach. No, not her stomach. Lower. What was that feeling? 

She stilled, considering, pausing their kiss, though her lips remained millimeters from his. Noctis, however, was just getting started. 

He turned his face slightly the the side, his lips against her cheek, then her jaw, then a part of her neck just below her ear that Luna didn’t even realize could make her jump the way it nearly did. His breath was hot and wet as it danced across her skin, a sweet accompaniment to his gentle but insistent kisses. Lunafreya felt goosebumps rise up on her skin, and her fingers in his hair shifted from a simple caress of endearment to clutching his stronger body for security. 

His own hands wrapped around her back, then slipped along her sides and beneath her shirt without warning, and Lunafreya took in a sharp breath at the sensation. The king paused both his mouth against her neck and his hands against her skin. He was giving her a chance to move away, she realized. Again, she felt relieved and thankful, but again, she chose to continue. 

Words failed her, but Luna managed to give a slight nod and Noctis felt the movement against his cheek. His hands rose, exploring her abdomen with delicate touches, using his fingers to trace every curve he could find. They brushed against the bottom of her bra, and Luna was surprised at how much she hated the barrier that was blocking his fingers. 

He must have felt the same, because Noctis suddenly lowered his hands to rest on her hips. He took in a breath, slowly, carefully, before moving to gently grip her shirt on each side. He pulled back, leaving a cold place on her skin where his mouth had been, to meet her eyes again. Noct’s expression was questioning, and Luna didn’t hesitate to answer. 

She pulled her own arms away from his body and lifted them above her head, and he readily pulled the tee shirt up, over, and off her torso. Her bra followed before she even lowered her arms, and Lunafreya suddenly realized she was half naked in front of a man for the first time in her life. 

Her initial thought was one of modesty, feeling suddenly self conscious. She nearly brought her arms up to cover herself when she glanced up at Noctis’ face. 

He was staring at her, his clear, blue eyes darkened with desire and his lips slightly parted, as if he was trying to catch his breath. He didn’t touch her again, not immediately, but the way his gaze river over her bare skin felt just as intimate as his fingers had. After several long seconds, Noctis’ eyes moved back upward to meet hers. He looked awestruck. 

And Lunafreya suddenly felt more beautiful than she ever had in her life. 

Which one of them moved first, she couldn’t be sure. The stunned stillness was broken by both of them stepping forward into each other’s arms, lips finding each other again, her bare body pressed up against his clothing, his arms encircling her and holding her tightly, as if they could simply just melt together. Noctis turned her, gently but firmly, and before Luna even wondered what was happening, she was on her back in the small bed. 

The kissing didn’t stop as he fiddled with his own clothing, discarding his jacket and shirt, unbuckling his belt with a clanking sound and pushing his pants off. His hands moved to the waistband of her jeans and they were quickly shed as well, their mutual, instinctual desire driving them now rather than the careful romance minutes ago. 

As he worked to discard their clothing between frantic kisses, Lunafreya watched the way Noctis’ body moved. He was young and lithe, strong and lean, and she was suddenly disappointed that she couldn’t see more of his tanned skin in the growing darkness. Once they were both naked, his hands were everywhere, physically exploring her body with growing excitement. His palms, rough from years of training, swept over her soft skin and she relished each sensation as she would her favorite dessert. 

His left hand reached the apex of her thighs, that dark spot that was only growing hotter as they continued, and Noctis broke their kiss to look into her eyes. One of his fingers caressed her, feeling the moisture that she hadn’t realized had been pooling between her legs. They both inhaled sharply at the feeling, him realizing that she truly did want him, and her wondering at the new sensations in her body. 

Noctis whispered her name, breathy, reverent, begging for permission to continue. Luna couldn’t find the words to answer, letting her body respond instead. She shifted, spreading her legs apart and curling them around his, pulling him closer. She needed him closer. 

She felt him press up against her and stilled, anticipation settling in, suddenly unsure of what to do. Instinct had gotten her this far, but Luna felt as if she was chasing a feeling she didn’t know even existed, one she didn’t know how to catch. 

She looked up at the man above her and found his eyes watching her intently. He paused in pressing against her, reading her hesitation in her face. 

“You’re shaking,” Noctis breathed. 

Lunafreya realized that she was. “I’ve never…” she began, feeling her already flushed cheeks growing even hotter in her sudden self doubt. She glanced with uncertainty down at the place where they were almost joined, then up into his eyes. Those beautiful eyes that nearly glowed blue in the darkness. “Will it hurt?” 

Noctis’ brows knitted together and one of his hands came up to cup her cheek. “No, Luna,” he said firmly. “I’ll never hurt you.” 

Their lips met again, slowly, gently, but still with barely contained passion. Lunafreya absorbed the feeling, drawing strength from the desire she felt in her own body and what he was communicating through his. Seconds ticked by, his body strong and motionless above her, waiting. 

Finally, when they parted for a breath, Lunafreya gave a nod so small that it would have been barely perceptible to any but the man who was so close to her. 

“Hold onto me,” Noctis instructed, and she shifted her hands to grip his arms. They were strong, iron muscles barely hidden beneath silky skin, and Luna clung to them like a lifeline and he pushed into her.

He was slow, gentle, carefully watching her face for any sign of discomfort. And Luna, she didn’t feel pain, but rather a foreign pressure. It was a different sensation than anything she had ever felt before. Noct was whispering to her, telling her to relax, to breathe. It felt like an eternity before he finally slid all the way inside, where she felt the entirely of him nestled up against her body, saw his eyes slip closed in ecstasy, felt his hot breath against her cheek as he let out a long exhale. 

Her body felt like it was newly awakened to the sensations inside of her as well as out. She was stretched around him, and while it wasn’t a feeling she would describe as comfortable, it still felt amazingly good. The deepness of his body inside of hers, of the two of them joined together, the way he was touching parts of her she had never even been aware of… it was the most purely physical sensation Luna had ever experienced. But it also stoked a fire in her heart, and emotions burst inside of her like fireworks. 

Above all, she felt full. Complete. But stil, even with this new awareness of body and heart, Luna was needing. 

And then Noctis _moved_.

All of the raw feelings Lunafreya had been so focused on were suddenly magnified a thousand fold. She gasped, and something between a moan and a whimper escaped from her throat. Opening her eyes that she hadn’t realized had squeezed closed, Luna caught Noctis’ gaze again and found him smiling.

Even in darkness of the room, she could see a slight sheen of sweat covering his features, making him nearly glow in the moonlight. His hair was a mess, but his eyes were alive and on fire as they watched her reactions beneath him. Noct continued to pump in and out of her, slowly, deeply, so that she could feel every inch of him as he moved. She was slick, but there was still some friction between them, and it was heavenly.

Something inside of her was building, burning hotter, like a fire with dry kindling being thrown on top of it. Luna’s desperate mind tried to grab onto the feeling and understand it. It seemed to amplify every time Noctis touched a certain spot inside of her, but at the same time, every place inside of her also felt alive with electricity that was adding to it. It was all encompassing. Becoming overwhelming. Almost terrifying in its intensity except that she wanted to run toward the feeling rather than away from it. 

He was steadily getting faster, deeper, his hands caressing her body as he worked. She was enveloped by him, but also lost. Put completely together, but tangled in knots. 

“Noctis,” she finally panted, her voice taking in a pleading tone. “What are you doing to me?”

The king’s hands shifted from caressing her to wrapping her up and holding her close. “It’s alright, Luna,” he whispered back, his mouth on her ear. “I’ve got you. You can let go.”

That was it. She hadn’t realized she had been holding herself back with her own concentration. At his words, Luna’s head tipped back, and everything shattered into a billion glowing pieces.

She cried out at the sensation, nails digging into his arms, her whole body shuddering with the intensity of it. Noctis was right behind, groaning into her ear as he stuttered and shook above her. 

The both came down, slowly, carefully, and Luna took an inventory of her body. She had to consciously unclench her fingers and toes, though her weak legs didn’t seem to want to disengage from where they were wrapped around his. There was a molten wetness between them, even more than before, but that wasn’t altogether unpleasant. He was heavy on top if her, the side of his face pressed against her cheek as he leaned into the pillow beneath them. But it was a comfortable weight. The way he enveloped her body made her feel safe, secure. 

Finally, Noctis seemed to catch his breath enough to push himself up onto his elbows. A shaking finger reached up to brush some of her blond hair from her eyes. He was looking at her with something that resembled astonishment, and Luna was certain her own expression must be the same. She felt as though a part of herself had been missing for all of her life, but she never realized it was even gone until he completed her.

Noctis gave a chuckle as he rolled off of her and onto his side. “This was _not_ how I expected that conversation to go,” he said as she turned to face him. 

Lunafreya hummed in amusement before huddling closer to his chest. She felt suddenly chilled without their friction and his body heat. Noct bundled her up against him, holding her close so she could feel his heartbeat as it slowed. 

They stayed that way in silence for several minutes, simply reveling in each other’s company. Fatigue began to creep in, and Luna let her heavy eyelids close and her body relax. For once in her life, she felt as though she could forget about the rest of Eos and its problems, at least for the night. 

Noctis pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Thank you, Luna,” he whispered. 

Her reply sounded drowsy to her own ears, but Luna hardly had the energy or desire to care. “Tomorrow we’ll save the world,” she mumbled into his chest. 

The king huffed a laugh. “Absolutely,” he promised.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn’t intend to get so Luna focused in this story, but sometimes the writing takes me places I didn’t anticipate. 
> 
> Next chapter will be from Ignis’ POV, and we will get back on track with his love life from there!


	22. “Oh no, Iggy.”

Ignis watched with some trepidation as Noctis stalked off to speak with his bride. His anxious feelings only increased as the door closed behind the two, and the advisor realized he would not be able to help guide his friend through the conversation. 

Noctis could be brash. Self-focused. Impulsive. All the more so when feeling afraid, confused, or hurt. Ignis was concerned for what the prince might say in his emotional state, and for Lady Lunafreya’s feelings and how she might react in response. The last thing any of them needed was for the Oracle to become angry or resentful toward the king. 

There was a gentle tug on his hand and Ignis pulled his eyes from the closed door to find Lyndel trying to lead him away. It seemed that the marshall had chosen a table nearby for them to talk. Though Ignis was reluctant to give up searching his mind for something he could possibly do to prevent Noctis and Lunafreya’s conversation from turning into a complete disaster, a report from Cor Leonis also deserved his attention. 

He allowed himself to be guided to what seemed to be the largest building in town, though in truth it wasn’t very large and one could question whether to call it a building at all. It was hardly enclosed, with just enough wall and ceiling to protect the machinery it housed. Ignis didn’t miss the way Prompto’s eyes lingered on the foreign contraptions as they passed, but to the boy’s credit, at least his wandering eyes didn't lose track of of Cor as he lead them to the back of the building. 

There was a small patio with a dart board and a few tables, and Ignis realized this must be a recreation area of sorts for the hunters. The table Cor chose still had a b-line view of Lunafreya’s doorway, and Gladio quickly took the seat that faced it directly. Ignis was disappointed, as he wanted to keep an eye on Noct as well, but supposed it was logical for the Shield to keep watch over his charge. 

The man known as The Immortal spoke once they were all settled, telling the little party everything Lady Lunafreya had previously conveyed to him about her trip, from the falling Citadel to the outpost the night before. He told them how Nyx had helped her escape and that they had, indeed, stayed the night in Hammer Head. He described what he knew about Duartos catching up with them on the second leg of their journey. Cor’s usually stoic voice took on a colder tone when describing how Nyx had taken the Ring of the Lucii and forfeited his life in exchange for defeating the traitor. He explained that the princess had walked the rest of the way to the outpost. 

He also told them that she had started crying when she finished her tale, and that he couldn’t get her to stop. That she hadn’t come out of her borrowed room all day. That no matter how Noctis had pushed to speak with her over the phone, the marshall didn’t think Lady Lunafreya was emotionally prepared to tell the whole tale again. 

Ignis considered each part of the story carefully. Though he had personally disliked the man, he knew they had lost a strong and loyal ally in Nyx. But on the other hand, they had the Ring of the Lucii. That was an invaluable weapon against the enemies of Lucius. But they would need the Oracle on their side as well. 

He shifted in his seat to glance at the door to the princess’ room. Neither she nor their prince had emerged. With what Cor has relayed about Lunafreya’s tears, Ignis was even more concerned about Noctis speaking to her alone. 

“There’s something else,” the marshall said, drawing Ignis’ attention back to the conversation at hand. “The hunters who pass through here know this land inside and out. One of them told me there’s a royal tomb nearby.”

Now that tidbit of information caught Ignis’ attention. He leaned forward in his chair. “How close?”

Cor gestured to the north. “Just a few hours walk.”

“A tomb?” Prompto repeated, a bewildered look on his face. “Why would a graveyard matter?”

Ignis cleared his throat. “Before a new king’s coronation, it’s tradition for his father to take him to visit the tombs of the rulers of old. It’s how a monarch of Lucius comes to build his Armiger. The weapons inside are very powerful.”

“I like the sound of that,” Gladio said with a hum. 

Lyndel, however, looked concerned. “But if the previous king is supposed to show him the tomb, will Noctis still be able to get them if his father is… gone?” 

All eyes fell on Ignis again, and he took a moment to mentally scroll through his knowledge on the ceremony. “I’m not entirely sure,” he finally admitted. “But just like the Ring of the Lucii, those weapons are a part of Noctis’ birthright. There must be a way for him to acquire them. If he doesn’t have King Regis to guide him, we will have to figure it out on our own.” 

Gladio shrugged. “It’s worth a shot, anyway. Sounds like they’re too valuable to just pass up.”

“Maybe Lady Lunafreya will know something about it, too,” Prompto added with his usual optimism. 

Ignis frowned. “Provided Noct isn’t scaring her away in his own emotional state.” He cast another glance at the door, then pushed himself to his feet. “It’s been long enough. I think I’ll check on them.”

No one protested, not that it would have much mattered to Ignis if they had. In just a few long strides, the advisor found himself at the door to Lady Lunafreya’s room. He paused, listening for any noise coming from the inside, but heard nothing. Ignis pushed his glasses up his nose in thought. He had been bracing himself to hear raised voices, or crying, or… something. Pure silence was unsettling. 

So he knocked. 

Nothing. He knocked again, and finally heard Noctis’s voice, muffled through the door.

“Ugh, what?”

Ignis’ brow furrowed. The groan in the prince’s voice was oddly similar to the way Noct sounded when he was just waking up. “Just checking in, your highness.”

There was another pause before Noct answered. “I’m fine,” he said, sounding slightly annoyed.

Well. This was going nowhere fast. “We were discussing plans for tomorrow with the marshall,” Ignis continued. “I think your input would be appreciated.”

“I’m taking the night off,” Noctis replied. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

Now it was Ignis’ turn to feel irritated. If he didn’t know what was going on, how could he possibly make plans or help with decisions? He couldn’t very well do his job as advisor without information. Noctis couldn’t just lock him out and leave him wondering. It was irresponsible. 

“You haven’t had supper yet,” he said, trying another tactic to persuade his friend. “Would you like to-“

“GO AWAY IGNIS!”

Noct’s voice from the other side of the door made Ignis halt his thoughts, but it was another sound that made him reconsider everything he assumed was going on it that room. 

In response to the prince’s outburst, he heard Lady Lunafreya giggle. 

Ignis blinked, opened his mouth to respond, thought better of it, then turned and slowly walked back across the road to the rest of the party. 

The rest of the party who were watching him with wide eyes, expecting an explanation about the disappearance of their royalty.

“Well?” Prompto asked before Ignis even had a chance to sit down. 

The advisor pursed his lips before answering. “Contrary to my own theories, it sounds like things are going rather well between the prince and the Oracle,” he said, slowly. 

Gladio leaned forward. “What do you mean?”

“What did they say?” Prompto threw in. 

“Nothing,” Ignis replies with a shake of his head, still a bit taken aback. “They didn’t say anything.”

Cor looked impatient for answers, and Ignis understood that feeling all to well. “What’s going on in there?” the marshall asked. 

Spreading his hands, Ignis answered honestly. “I don’t know for certain. But Noct said he was staying the night in the room. And then Lady Lunafreya… giggled.”

There was silence around the table as all five of them took a moment to process the situation. But though he felt himself frowning in confusion, Ignis couldn’t miss the wide smile that was spreading across Gladio’s face. 

“Is that so?” the shield finally said, folding his arms across his broad chest. “Well, good for Noct. It sounds like they’re getting along just fine.” 

—-

If the prince, or the king, Ignis corrected himself, declares a night off, everyone else should follow suit. He had cooked a simple meal for dinner, inspected their camper to make certain it was satisfactory for their night’s stay, and returned to the patio area to find the rest of the party starting on a relaxing evening. 

Prompto was off to the side gesturing to a dartboard with his typical, animated style. He was speaking to Lyndel, who held three darts in her hand and smiled and nodded along with him. Gladio all but reclined in his chair at their table, looking more than a little relaxed. He caught Ignis’ eye and waved him over, holding up a bottle as an invitation. Around them, many of the hunters were also gathered. They drank and ate, and a radio played cheerful melodies in the background. 

It seemed that despite the empire’s best efforts at crushing the spirit of their conquered subjects, the people of Lucius would find a way to remind themselves that life was worth living.

Ignis chucked to himself and joined Gladio, choosing the seat next to his friend. His green eyes drifted toward Lyndel, who caught his gaze and gave him a wave before turning back to her game. 

“Here, you’re having one of these with me,” the big man said, pulling Ignis’s attention back to the unmarked bottle in his hands. He gestured to a pair of shot glasses on the table that looked less than sparking clean, but Ignis reminded himself that an outpost in the middle of the desert inhabited by adventurers was likely to have questionable hygiene. 

“Very well,” he said with a nod, though Gladio was already pouring with his permission or without. When the shield handed him the small glass, Ignis inspected the clear liquid with some trepidation. “To what are we drinking?”

Gladio paused, then his amber eyes turned to meet Ignis’. “To Nyx,” he replied.

Ah yes. Another fallen ally, Ignis reminded himself. Though he could hardly stand the man, Ignis reminded himself that the glaive and Gladio has been good friends. Perhaps not as close as he was with the prince’s inner circle, but Gladio had crossed training sessions with the Kingsglaive on many occasions. Friendly rivalries, drinks together after work, and a shared purpose of service to the king and prince forged a bond between the two.

Ignis exhaled slowly and nodded in agreement. “To Nyx,” he said, raising his glass. “Probably the most loyal glaive that ever lived.”

Raising his own glass to tap it against the other with a _clink_ , Gladio rumbled his appreciation. “He was a stubborn bastard, but he gave his all for the crown.” 

The two men knocked back their shots, and Ignis winced slightly at the burn of the liquid. “Not quite as smooth as Insomnian bourbon, is it?” he said, suppressing a cough.

Gladio looked unphased, but he smirked at his friend. “Nah, but it’ll do.” 

He produced a pair of beers and cracked them open, and Ignis was more than ready to wash the taste of the harsh liquor from his mouth. He regarded the shield as they drank in silence. The big man was raw, powerful, realistic but confident, even jovial on most occasions. But there was a cloud of sadness in his eyes that he couldn’t hide. He had heard from Iris, Ignis had heard that news, and the girl was safely in Lestallum in Cor’s orders. But Gladio had lost a family, friends, home... It was a lot.

“I had hoped we would never see these days,” Ignis found himself saying. “Despite the threat of the empire, I had been optimistic that the treaty would give us a time of peace as Noct took his throne.”

Gladio took a long pull of his beer and nodded. “That’s war though, Iggy,” he said. “No matter what planning and strategy you come up with, there’ll always be loss.”

He sat back in his chair and turned his gaze back toward Ignis. “But we know that. Nyx knew it. My father knew it. We have to be ready for it and accept it before it happens. We just shouldn’t forget to live while we can.”

It was a somber thought, but one Ignis knew to be true. It was so easy to focus on all of their challenges, to worry about Noct’s all but hopeless fight for his place as king. Despite his concerns, maybe it was best that Noctis chose to spend the night with Lunafreya. It was right for him to experience tenderness and intimacy, to be reminded that he’s not alone and that there was still good in the world. Perhaps he might find hope that way. 

He felt his own gaze drift up to watch Lyndel. The blond girl was standing in front of the dartboard, poised to throw the little needle. Prompto said something that made her laugh and she was forced to pause and reset her stance before continuing. She threw the dart, but Ignis didn’t notice or care where it sailed off to. He was watching the way her hips were swaying to the music. The way her hair swung over her shoulders as she turned. The way she grinned as she teasingly elbowed Prompto. The way her smile seems to light up the night better than the small lanterns that were-

“Oh no, Iggy,” Gladio moaned, and Ignis turned his attention back to his friend with a start. He was about to ask what was the matter, but the big man just shook his dark head. “You’ve got it bad, don’t you?”

Ignis blinked. Oh. He was referring to Lyndel. Gladio’s comments forced Ignis to consider the situation that he had avoided thinking about at all costs, because he always came to the same conclusion that the bigger man had. _Oh no Iggy, indeed._

“She’s… dear to me,” he finally admitted, slowly. 

Gladio sighed and looked back toward the girl. “Hey man, I get it. She’s pretty, smart, caring, and she seems to get along with the rest of us just fine. If this was any other time in our lives, I’d be thrilled for you.” 

Feeling his heart sink, Ignis nodded. He looked down at the table. “As it is, however, she’s a distraction we can’t afford,” he said, the pain filtering through his voice. 

“Not to mention hanging with Noct puts her on the list of ‘Empire’s Most Wanted.’” Gladio downed the rest of his bottle and promptly reached for another. “What are you gonna do?” 

Ignis supposed putting any decisions off until he absolutely had to think about them wouldn’t be the answer Gladio was looking for. “The logical choice is to wait until we pass through a city that can offer her safety and a fresh start,” he said, turning his eyes back to the girl whose fate he felt he was planning. “I could give her the resources she needs to be secure for a little while.” 

“Hm,” the other man mused. “Have you talked with her about that?” 

Shaking his head, Ignis tried his best not to imagine of that scenario. “Certainly not. She has always taken care of herself, and she very much values making her own choices. I don’t think she will take kindly to being told to stay put.” He leaned back in his chair, recalling their conversation on the balcony of the Citadel. 

“We both knew my position would complicate our relationship. We were both aware that things between us probably wouldn’t last, despite our feelings for each other.” Ignis frowned, feeling as if a cold hand was squeezing around his heart. “But at the same time, I have no wish to rush through our few moments together.” 

Gladio suddenly slapped his hand on the table, making Ignis jump in surprise. His eyes snapped up to see his friend leveling a finger in his direction, glaring at him with a surprising intensity. 

“That’s your problem, Iggy,” Gladio said, his voice lowered, but passionate nonetheless. “That right there. You’re too stuck in your own damn head that you predict the worst outcomes before they even happen. And while you’re planning for disaster, you’re all but bringing it on yourself.” 

Ignis stiffened, feeling something between shocked and offended. “I beg your pardon?” was all he managed to get out. 

His friend nearly growled. “I’m saying just don’t throw your relationship away when you haven’t given it a chance to even survive. If she makes you happy-“ 

Ignis leaned forward, cutting his friend off with a waiver of his hand. “Were you not just saying how bad the timing of this relationship is?” 

“Yeah, but I didn’t mean to quit it. Damn it, Ignis, just be aware of the difficulties it might cause and try to work with them.” Gladio let out a breath, and the tension drained from his face. The storm in his eyes was replaced by a shadow of sadness. 

When he continued, his voice was quieter, calmer. “Look, we sacrifice everything for Noctis. Always have. But that doesn’t mean we don’t deserve to have a little joy in our lives. Lyn seems like a good girl, and I like that you’re less uptight since she came around, even with all this other stuff going on.” 

Ignis cocked his head. Was that the truth? He certainly felt attracted to the girl, that was an easy admission. But was she also good for his state of mind? He considered how he felt when she was around. In the events leading up to the ball, stopping by Lyndel’s ship had been his favorite chore. He had been incredibly proud to have her in his arm during the event. He has been impressed and amused, when she had so easily gotten along with his friends. He had felt secure and protective when he held her through that first night. And, Ignis realized, each time he had begun to feel overwhelmed at their challenges ahead, Lyndel had been there with a smile or a gentle touch, and all that negativity had evaporated. 

“Just… talk to her, okay?” Gladio said, meeting Ignis’ gaze again. “If she becomes too much of a distraction, then worry about that when you get there. But for now, enjoy what you’ve got.” 

All Ignis could do was nod in response, unsure of how to answer. It wasn’t like him not to have a plan for the future, and he felt out of his element to simply take things as they came. Especially with something as important as Lyndel. “I’ll consider it,” he promised his friend. 

That seemed to satisfy Gladio, who turned the conversation to lighter matters. The evening passed, and Ignis felt himself relax more and more. Cor and a hunter named Dave eventually joined them, and they passed the time talking about big game hunts and adventures they had come across. Ignis kept a eye on Lyndel, watched with a twinge of jealousy as a few of the hunters approached her and Prompto to join the game of darts. Ignis certainly didn’t miss the way they eyed the girl when her back was turned, but they didn’t encroach on her personal space or seem to say anything that bothered her, so he restrained himself from charging to her side. She often paused in her game to meet his eye and throw him a wink, which made Ignis feel… good. 

When he could feel the the day of travel began to catch up him, Ignis knew better than to push himself to stay up late. They had another big day ahead of them tomorrow, after all. He bid farewell to the others at the table and reminded Gladio to make sure Prompto also got to bed in time to have a good night’s sleep. 

Lyndel must have seen him rise for she was quickly at his side. Her smaller hand slipped inside his and she walked with him back to the camper. 

“Who won your game?” Ignis asked, caring less about the results than he did about simply having a conversation together. 

Lyndel snorted. “Prompto, of course. That boy never misses. How about you? What were all of you talking about?” 

“A bit of this, a bit of that. Plans for tomorrow, memories of past adventures…” Ignis felt himself trail off. He knew how he felt for the girl at his side, but admitting those feelings out loud seemed to make them more real, somehow. “We talked a bit about you.” 

She seemed slightly taken aback. “About me?” she repeated. 

They reached the camper, and Ignis turned to face her. His free hand moved to take hers as he met her grey eyes. “Yes, about you. We talked about how it has always been my burden to help Noctis think through all of his problems, and lately I’ve felt as though the weight of the entire world is on my shoulders.” 

The moonlight danced across her features as Lyndel lifted her face to watch his, patiently awaiting whatever words he would say next. Ignis paused to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. She was so gorgeous, he thought to himself. He was a lucky man. 

“Yet with you by my side,” he continued, “I’m able to forget just how heavy that weight is.” 

Lyndel smiled before rising up on her toes to place a sweet and gentle kiss against his jawline. Even though it was a mild, tender gesture, Ignis felt the shockwaves from it travel straight to his heart. 

“I’m happy to help,” she replied, her smile returning. “However I can.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for all of the nice comments! You people are amazing!


	23. Duty calls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve been SO BAD at updating this for so many reasons, and I apologize. 
> 
> I had intended to make this chapter longer, but I keep hitting a block and I figured I’d do a fun little something in the meantime.

The morning felt fuzzy. After days of stress and travel, a night of relaxation and a surprisingly comfortable bed, there was no other word for how Lyndel felt when she slowly drifted back to consciousness. The blankets were tucked all around her, right up underneath her chin and the girl wanted nothing more than to snuggle into them and fall back asleep.

As it was, however, she realized a warm hand had enveloped her own, long fingers gently grazing over the back of her skin. Lyndel cracked her eyelids open slowly to find Ignis’ meadow green eyes watching her, a smile of subtle amusement playing at his lips.

“Good morning,” he said softly as she smiled in return. “I was beginning to wonder if I’d have to try more drastic measures to wake you.”

Lyndel didn’t bother to stifle her yawn as she rolled onto her back and pushed herself up to a sitting position. “I slept like a rock,” she said. “The prince should declare time off more often.” 

Ignis nodded as he moved to sit on the edge of the bed. “Indeed,” he said slowly. “Unfortunately, I don’t believe we will have that luxury today.” 

“Mhm.” Lyndel rubbed the sleep from her eyes with a sigh. “What’s the plan?” 

The man before her hesitated just slightly before speaking. “We’re going to visit the tomb that the marshall spoke of yesterday. It’s not far; we’ll easily be back before nightfall with an early start.”

“Okay,” Lyn replied, already making a mental checklist of what she needed to do to get ready. “I can shower when we get back, so I’ll just have to change and put my hair up…”

She paused, noticing how Ignis had turned his gaze, somewhat awkwardly, toward the window instead of meeting her eyes. The morning light filtering through the camper’s flimsy curtains bathed his skin in orange shadows, and Lyndel followed the light downward as its warm touch covered his entire body. It made his violet and black shirt seem to glow an ugly brown.

“You’re already dressed and ready to go,” she observed out loud.

“Yes, well,” Ignis began slowly, “I think it’s best if you remain here at the outpost today.”

Lyn stilled, anger beginning to rise up within her. “What?”

The man seated next to her hurried to explain. “As I said, it’s not a long journey, but it’s not without peril. There are many beasts that inhabit the canyon we’ll travel through. Their feral nature is one of the reasons the hunters are drawn to this place, but it is also very dangerous for someone unskilled in combat.”

That was a lot for Lyndel’s still sleepy mind to take in, and she blinked slowly while sifting through his words. “You think I’m going to… what? Get run over by a dualhorn? Gored by a sabertusk?”

“I realize the idea of a wild animal attack might sound ridiculous, but we’re not within the walls of Insomnia anymore,” Ignis replied, his tone becoming more serious. “The marshall said they nearly lost a hunter to a couerl attack just two days ago.”

Lyndel ran her fingers through her blond hair in frustration. He was right; she didn’t know how to defend herself, and the closest she had ever come to a wild animal was visiting the royal zoo as a child. 

Ignis turned back to meet her eyes, his fingers tightening were he still held her hand. “I don’t want to seem as if I’m making this decision for you. You can still choose to come. I’d protect you, of course, but I also have Noctis to look after. If anything happened to you, I don’t think I could forgive myself.” 

A long sigh escaped Lyndel’s lungs as she turned over his words in her mind. Of course she should stay behind, she reasoned. What would even be the point of her joining them? It was a quick errand, and they’d just be apart for few hours. She didn’t need to be at Ignis’ side every moment of every day, did she?

“No, it’s fine,” Lyn found herself saying, dropping her gaze to the patterned blankets that covered her body and doing her best to hide her disappointment. “I'll just… have a ‘me day.’ I’m sure I’ll figure something out to do.”

Ignis smiled at that. “I hope you enjoy it. With the uncertain state of the world, I don’t know how much time there will be for relaxation in the near future.”

The girl nodded in response, drawing her grey eyes back upward to meet his. It suddenly occurred to her that waking up to find Ignis smiling at her was something she could get used to. “You’re sure you’ll be safe?” she asked after a second of hesitation.

“I promise I will.” Lyndel didn’t miss the way the handsome adviser’s eyes flickered down over body. She was sitting up in bed, blankets pulled up to her hips, but she noticed how his gaze lingered on the skin her tank top left exposed. “Though I have to admit,” Ignis continued slowly, “that I would much rather remain here with you. Your current position is very… tempting.”

A smile quirked at Lyndel’s mouth and she leaned forward. Her free hand rose to graze over his shoulder, the spark in her body instantly igniting in response to the taught muscles she felt beneath his shirt. “I’d much rather you stayed, too,” she whispered, just before closing the gap between them.

His lips were receptive to hers, and he returned the kiss with what felt like cautiously restrained passion. Ignis let her take the lead, following her movements, her pressure, and matching her quickly growing ferocity. When her tongue danced over his lips, they parted in response, and Lyndel felt him inhale sharply as she explored his mouth. 

Ignis’ desires could only remain in check for so long, and when Lyn let out a quiet moan of satisfaction, the dam holding him back seemed to crumble. He detached his fingers from hers to bring his hand upward and cradle her head. His other strong arm braced himself on the mattress and his body pushed forward, gently forcing Lyn backward onto the bed. She relented easily, feeling her body nearly melt under his control. He took charge of their kiss, releasing more and more of his intensity, his lips and tongue moving to her jawline, her neck, her ear.

It was something between a gasp and a cry that left her throat when Lyndel felt his teeth graze over her earlobe, and her grip on his shirt tightened to the point where she thought she might tear the thin fabric. Her other hand moved to his lower back, feeling the way his strong body moved as he hovered just over her own. She arched her back in a not so subtle invitation, seeking the hot friction of their two bodies pressing together. Her fingers against his back becoming more insistant, urging him closer… closer… 

A firm and loud rapping at the camper door made them both start. “Ignis!” Prince Noctis’ voice yelled, drifting up through the open window. “We’re going!” 

Ignis growled into her neck, making Lyndel shiver from head to toe. “I’m right behind you!” he called in response, words somewhat muffled by her skin. She left his body tense, then relax, his face turning into the pillow beneath them as he drew in a long sigh. 

Lyn reluctantly released his shirt and let her fingers smooth over the material gently, feeling the wrinkles she had caused. “Duty calls,” she commented. 

“Yes, I suppose it does.” Ignis’ voice echoed with the disappointment she also felt as he pushed himself up and off the bed. He stood, his back to her as he adjusted his clothes and re-tucked his shirt.

Lyndel bit her lip as she watched his long, lean body move. She turned onto her side, propping herself up on one elbow. “You’re sure you won’t stay? We could have the whole day together, alone, while everyone else plays scavenger hunt in that tomb.”

The man stilled for several seconds, and Lyn wondered if he was actually debating her suggestion. But when his shoulders finally sagged ever so slightly, she knew she had lost. 

“If only I could,” Ignis replied simply, glancing back at her over his shoulder. “You have no idea how absolutely delicious you look lying in that bed.” 

She hummed in response and lifted a hand to wave him away. “Go on then. The sooner you leave, the sooner you can get back. Don’t keep his majesty waiting.”


End file.
